Merge pull request #1508 from netalertx/chore_timestamps

timestamp cleanup

Author: jokob-sk

.github/skills/code-standards/SKILL.md

@@ -42,11 +42,18 @@ Nested subprocess calls need their own timeout—outer timeout won't save you.
 ## Time Utilities
 
 ```python
-from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowDB
+from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowUTC
 
-timestamp = timeNowDB()
+timestamp = timeNowUTC()
 ```
 
+This is the ONLY function that calls datetime.datetime.now() in the entire codebase.
+
+⚠️ CRITICAL: ALL database timestamps MUST be stored in UTC
+This is the SINGLE SOURCE OF TRUTH for current time in NetAlertX
+Use timeNowUTC() for DB writes (returns UTC string by default)
+Use timeNowUTC(as_string=False) for datetime operations (scheduling, comparisons, logging)
+
 ## String Sanitization
 
 Use sanitizers from `server/helper.py` before storing user input.

.github/workflows/run-all-tests.yml

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ on:
         type: boolean
         default: false
       run_backend:
-        description: '📂 backend/ (SQL Builder & Security)'
+        description: '📂 backend/ & db/ (SQL Builder, Security & Migration)'
         type: boolean
         default: false
       run_docker_env:
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           PATHS=""
           # Folder Mapping with 'test/' prefix
-          if [ "${{ github.event.inputs.scan }}" == "true" ]; then PATHS="$PATHS test/scan/"; fi
+          if [ "${{ github.event.inputs.run_scan }}" == "true" ]; then PATHS="$PATHS test/scan/"; fi
           if [ "${{ github.event.inputs.run_api }}" == "true" ]; then PATHS="$PATHS test/api_endpoints/ test/server/"; fi
-          if [ "${{ github.event.inputs.run_backend }}" == "true" ]; then PATHS="$PATHS test/backend/"; fi
+          if [ "${{ github.event.inputs.run_backend }}" == "true" ]; then PATHS="$PATHS test/backend/ test/db/"; fi
           if [ "${{ github.event.inputs.run_docker_env }}" == "true" ]; then PATHS="$PATHS test/docker_tests/"; fi
           if [ "${{ github.event.inputs.run_ui }}" == "true" ]; then PATHS="$PATHS test/ui/"; fi
 

front/js/common.js

@@ -447,21 +447,35 @@ function localizeTimestamp(input) {
   return formatSafe(input, tz);
 
   function formatSafe(str, tz) {
-    const date = new Date(str);
+    // CHECK: Does the input string have timezone information?
+    // - Ends with Z: "2026-02-11T11:37:02Z"
+    // - Has GMT±offset: "Wed Feb 11 2026 12:34:12 GMT+1100 (...)"
+    // - Has offset at end: "2026-02-11 11:37:02+11:00"
+    // - Has timezone name in parentheses: "(Australian Eastern Daylight Time)"
+    const hasOffset = /Z$/i.test(str.trim()) ||
+                      /GMT[+-]\d{2,4}/.test(str) ||
+                      /[+-]\d{2}:?\d{2}$/.test(str.trim()) ||
+                      /\([^)]+\)$/.test(str.trim());
+
+    // ⚠️ CRITICAL: All DB timestamps are stored in UTC without timezone markers.
+    // If no offset is present, we must explicitly mark it as UTC by appending 'Z'
+    // so JavaScript doesn't interpret it as local browser time.
+    let isoStr = str.trim();
+    if (!hasOffset) {
+      // Ensure proper ISO format before appending Z
+      // Replace space with 'T' if needed: "2026-02-11 11:37:02" → "2026-02-11T11:37:02Z"
+      isoStr = isoStr.trim().replace(/^(\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}) (\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2})$/, '$1T$2') + 'Z';
+    }
+
+    const date = new Date(isoStr);
     if (!isFinite(date)) {
       console.error(`ERROR: Couldn't parse date: '${str}' with TIMEZONE ${tz}`);
       return 'Failed conversion';
     }
 
-    // CHECK: Does the input string have an offset (e.g., +11:00 or Z)?
-    // If it does, and we apply a 'tz' again, we double-shift.
-    const hasOffset = /[Z|[+-]\d{2}:?\d{2}]$/.test(str.trim());
-
     return new Intl.DateTimeFormat(LOCALE, {
-      // If it has an offset, we display it as-is (UTC mode in Intl
-      // effectively means "don't add more hours").
-      // If no offset, apply your variable 'tz'.
-      timeZone: hasOffset ? 'UTC' : tz,
+      // Convert from UTC to user's configured timezone
+      timeZone: tz,
       year: 'numeric', month: '2-digit', day: '2-digit',
       hour: '2-digit', minute: '2-digit', second: '2-digit',
       hour12: false

front/plugins/_publisher_apprise/apprise.py

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 import conf  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from const import confFileName, logPath  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
-from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowDB  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
+from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowUTC  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from plugin_helper import Plugin_Objects  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from logger import mylog, Logger  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from helper import get_setting_value  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def main():
         # Log result
         plugin_objects.add_object(
             primaryId   = pluginName,
-            secondaryId = timeNowDB(),
+            secondaryId = timeNowUTC(),
             watched1    = notification["GUID"],
             watched2    = result,
             watched3    = 'null',

front/plugins/_publisher_email/email_smtp.py

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 import conf  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from const import confFileName, logPath  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from plugin_helper import Plugin_Objects  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
-from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowDB  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
+from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowUTC  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from logger import mylog, Logger  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from helper import get_setting_value, hide_email  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from models.notification_instance import NotificationInstance  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ def main():
         # Log result
         plugin_objects.add_object(
             primaryId   = pluginName,
-            secondaryId = timeNowDB(),
+            secondaryId = timeNowUTC(),
             watched1    = notification["GUID"],
             watched2    = result,
             watched3    = 'null',

front/plugins/_publisher_mqtt/mqtt.py

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from helper import get_setting_value, bytes_to_string, \
     sanitize_string, normalize_string  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from database import DB, get_device_stats  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
-from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowDB  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
+from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowUTC  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from models.notification_instance import NotificationInstance  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 
 # Make sure the TIMEZONE for logging is correct
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ def publish_notifications(db, mqtt_client):
 
         # Optional: attach meta info
         payload["_meta"] = {
-            "published_at": timeNowDB(),
+            "published_at": timeNowUTC(),
             "source": "NetAlertX",
             "notification_GUID": notification["GUID"]
         }
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ def prepTimeStamp(datetime_str):
     except ValueError:
         mylog('verbose', [f"[{pluginName}]  Timestamp conversion failed of string '{datetime_str}'"])
         # Use the current time if the input format is invalid
-        parsed_datetime = datetime.now(conf.tz)
+        parsed_datetime = timeNowUTC(as_string=False)
 
     # Convert to the required format with 'T' between date and time and ensure the timezone is included
     return parsed_datetime.isoformat()  # This will include the timezone offset

front/plugins/_publisher_ntfy/ntfy.py

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 import conf  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from const import confFileName, logPath  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from plugin_helper import Plugin_Objects, handleEmpty  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
-from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowDB  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
+from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowUTC  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from logger import mylog, Logger  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from helper import get_setting_value  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from models.notification_instance import NotificationInstance  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def main():
         # Log result
         plugin_objects.add_object(
             primaryId   = pluginName,
-            secondaryId = timeNowDB(),
+            secondaryId = timeNowUTC(),
             watched1    = notification["GUID"],
             watched2    = handleEmpty(response_text),
             watched3    = response_status_code,

front/plugins/_publisher_pushover/pushover.py

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 from plugin_helper import Plugin_Objects, handleEmpty  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from logger import mylog, Logger  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from helper import get_setting_value, hide_string  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
-from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowDB  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
+from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowUTC  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from models.notification_instance import NotificationInstance  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from database import DB  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def main():
         # Log result
         plugin_objects.add_object(
             primaryId=pluginName,
-            secondaryId=timeNowDB(),
+            secondaryId=timeNowUTC(),
             watched1=notification["GUID"],
             watched2=handleEmpty(response_text),
             watched3=response_status_code,

front/plugins/_publisher_pushsafer/pushsafer.py

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 from plugin_helper import Plugin_Objects, handleEmpty  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from logger import mylog, Logger  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from helper import get_setting_value, hide_string  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
-from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowDB  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
+from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowUTC  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from models.notification_instance import NotificationInstance  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from database import DB  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from pytz import timezone  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def main():
         # Log result
         plugin_objects.add_object(
             primaryId   = pluginName,
-            secondaryId = timeNowDB(),
+            secondaryId = timeNowUTC(),
             watched1    = notification["GUID"],
             watched2    = handleEmpty(response_text),
             watched3    = response_status_code,

front/plugins/_publisher_telegram/tg.py

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 import conf  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from const import confFileName, logPath  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from plugin_helper import Plugin_Objects  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
-from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowDB  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
+from utils.datetime_utils import timeNowUTC  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from logger import mylog, Logger  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from helper import get_setting_value  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
 from models.notification_instance import NotificationInstance  # noqa: E402 [flake8 lint suppression]
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def main():
         # Log result
         plugin_objects.add_object(
             primaryId=pluginName,
-            secondaryId=timeNowDB(),
+            secondaryId=timeNowUTC(),
             watched1=notification["GUID"],
             watched2=result,
             watched3='null',