compose: Add feature to insert global time #2056

yash-agarwa-l · 2025-12-26T15:41:26Z

Before	After

After - Additional

compose_date.mp4

alya · 2025-12-27T04:45:57Z

As usual, please include before/after screenshots demonstrating all your changes, in addition to any videos.

yash-agarwa-l · 2025-12-27T05:00:12Z

Thank you, I’ve added the after screenshots as well.

chrisbobbe

Thanks @yash-agarwa-l! Comments below, from a brief review. I'll look more closely at the logic in a later review.

chrisbobbe · 2025-12-30T01:22:35Z

lib/widgets/compose_box.dart

+
+

nit: don't add extra lines

chrisbobbe · 2025-12-30T02:02:40Z

lib/widgets/compose_box.dart

+    _insertTextAtCursor(insert);
+  }
+
+  void _insertTextAtCursor(String insertion) {


Hmm, I'd thought that ComposeContentController already had a method for inserting inline content, using ComposeContentController.insertionIndex, but it looks like it doesn't. ComposeContentController.insertPadded is what we use for quote-and-reply (a kind of block content, i.e. not inline content):

/// Inserts [newText] in [text], setting off with an empty line before and after. /// /// Assumes [newText] is not empty and consists entirely of complete lines /// (each line ends with a newline). /// /// Inserts at [insertionIndex]. If that's zero, no empty line is added before. /// /// If there is already an empty line before or after, does not add another. void insertPadded(String newText) {

I propose adding a method insertInline, just above insertPadded, and renaming insertPadded to insertBlock so it makes more sense alongside the new method. Here's a draft of a dartdoc plus asserts; would you fill in the implementation?

/// Inserts [newText] in [text], /// setting off with a space character before and after. /// /// Assumes [newText] does not start or end with whitespace /// (i.e. that [String.trim] would not return a different string). /// /// Inserts at [insertionIndex]. If that's zero, no space is added before. /// /// If there is already an empty space before or after, does not add another. void insertInline(String newText) { assert(newText.isNotEmpty); assert(newText.trim() == newText);

Then the global-time button would call insertInline.

chrisbobbe · 2025-12-30T02:04:14Z

lib/widgets/compose_box.dart

+  String formatGlobalTime(DateTime date) {
+    final iso = date.toIso8601String();
+    final trimmedIso = iso.contains('.') ? iso.substring(0, iso.indexOf('.')) : iso;
+    final offset = date.timeZoneOffset;
+    final sign = offset.isNegative ? '-' : '+';
+    final hours = offset.inHours.abs().toString().padLeft(2, '0');
+    final minutes = (offset.inMinutes.abs() % 60).toString().padLeft(2, '0');
+
+    return '$trimmedIso$sign$hours:$minutes';
+  }


This is the kind of logic that belongs in lib/model/compose.dart; see other functions there. Maybe name this one just globalTime, and it can go at the end of the file.

chrisbobbe · 2026-01-02T21:06:55Z

assets/l10n/app_en.arb

  "@composeBoxAttachFromCameraTooltip": {
    "description": "Tooltip for compose box icon to attach an image from the camera to the message."
  },
+  "composeBoxAttachGlobalTimeTooltip": "Insert global time",


Please add these entries in the same commit that makes them necessary.

chrisbobbe · 2026-01-02T21:07:18Z

test/widgets/compose_box_test.dart

    });
  });

+  group('global time button', () {


Please add these tests in the same commit that makes them necessary.

chrisbobbe · 2026-01-02T21:07:42Z

lib/widgets/compose_box.dart

+/// A button to insert a global time timestamp into the compose box.
+///
+/// Shows date and time pickers sequentially, then inserts a formatted
+/// timestamp in Zulip's global time format: `<time:YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ss±HH:mm>`


Please add these dartdocs in the same commit that makes them necessary.

Thanks! Just for clarity, you would like me to squash everything into the one commit that introduces the implementation logic, correct?

alya · 2026-01-03T00:25:48Z

Are we controlling the date/time picker styling at all? The "Select date/time" text should perhaps be sized like a heading.

Renames `insertPadded` to `insertBlock` for block content (line-padded), makingthe distinction between the two insertion types explicit. Fixes the issue described here: zulip#2056 (comment)

yash-agarwa-l · 2026-01-03T05:37:35Z

Thanks for the review. I’ve addressed the feedback and squashed the commits as requested.

yash-agarwa-l · 2026-01-03T05:38:13Z

@alya Ack. It's using the default styling right now, but I can bump the size up to a heading. Is there a specific style you want there?

Fixes zulip#1215. This adds a clock button to the compose box that opens date and time pickers sequentially. When completed, it inserts a timestamp in Zulip's global time format (e.g., <time:2025-12-31T13:30:00+05:30>). This allows users to easily reference specific times that display correctly across all timezones.

Renames `insertPadded` to `insertBlock` for block content (line-padded), makingthe distinction between the two insertion types explicit. Fixes the issue described here: zulip#2056 (comment)

alya · 2026-01-08T00:07:59Z

I dunno, you can try our modal heading size and update the screenshots for review.

yash-agarwa-l force-pushed the compose_global_time branch from e697f42 to 7b2490a Compare December 27, 2025 04:52

chrisbobbe reviewed Jan 2, 2026

View reviewed changes

chrisbobbe self-assigned this Jan 3, 2026

chrisbobbe added the maintainer review PR ready for review by Zulip maintainers label Jan 3, 2026

yash-agarwa-l force-pushed the compose_global_time branch from 7b2490a to 87bba96 Compare January 3, 2026 04:48

yash-agarwa-l force-pushed the compose_global_time branch from f50ac53 to 7947f1c Compare January 6, 2026 00:10

compose: Rename insertPadded to insertBlock

6182186

Renames `insertPadded` to `insertBlock` for block content (line-padded), makingthe distinction between the two insertion types explicit. Fixes the issue described here: zulip#2056 (comment)

yash-agarwa-l force-pushed the compose_global_time branch from 7947f1c to 6182186 Compare January 6, 2026 00:39

compose: Add feature to insert global time #2056

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