Calendar issue

[ddh313]

I travel quite a bit and I'm finding the Apple Calendar application to be quite frustrating. Whether timezone support is on or off, as I travel the times change as I move across timezones. This has caused me to be late for an appointment and also to miss a flight. I simply would like a WYSIWYG calendar, like a paper calendar. Apple had a setting called "floating" that did that, but with the upgrade to El Capitan is it, apparently, gone. I have an iPhone, two laptops and an iMac that I sync through the cloud, but this has me extremely frustrated. Does anyone know of any alternatives or of any way to get the calendar to simply give me the option of absolute times across the board? Thank you.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

-Which versions of OS X and iOS?
-Is it better or worse when time zone support is on/off?
-Are you entering the events in the calendar with the time of your home time zone, and then traveling to another, in which it adjusts it to the incorrect local time?
-Have you tried setting the time zone in the event itself?

C

 

[ddh313]

Thanks, Cory. It doesn't seem to make much difference if timezone support is on or off. I have the latest updated versions of both: El Capitan on the Mac and iOS9 on the phone.

When I travel to another time zone it adjusts the time to that time zone. If I add an even while I'm in another time zone, it adjusts it when I get back. If I cross the international date line it really screws me up, changing dates. Doing the math every time I add an event is nuts. Spending the time to look up the time zones. Some are not listed at all and I would need to look them up each time. The idea is to SAVE time.

Again, all I want is a calendar program that will allow me to use it as I would a paper calendar. If I say 9:00 AM that's what I want it to say, period.

The floating option is still there, but needs to be chosen for each individual entry on the mac; iOS does not support "floating" so there is no way to enter something as absolute time on the phone.

Another thing I was told to try (by an Apple senior advisor, no less) is to always use one time zone for everything. This works, except when you add something when you're in another time zone it changes it. And when you've crossed the international date line it gets even harder to figure out. Apparently the only way to make it work is to turn off the master date and time on all the devices, which renders many other apps useless.

So I ask again, does anyone know of a wysiwyg calendar app that works on the Mac and iOS?

 

[Cory Cooper]

No worries...it is a perplexing issue. It should work, but obviously it isn't.

I have limited experience with other calendar apps, so I cannot suggest any others with confidence. I do use Google Calendars for business-related purposes. However, I really only add/use them to the calendar apps in El Capitan and iOS 9, which would probably have the same issue.

If the solution directly from Apple doesn't correct the issue for you, there isn't much more I can add that may help. I would think that if you turned off Time Zone Management on all your devices, it would stay with your home time zone. But, if that affects other apps, then that isn't a worthwhile solution.

If I do come across anything further, I will be sure to let you know. Good luck and keep us in the loop, and sorry I couldn't help you out more.

C

 

[ddh313]

No worries...it is a perplexing issue. It should work, but obviously it isn't.

I have limited experience with other calendar apps, so I cannot suggest any others with confidence. I do use Google Calendars for business-related purposes. However, I really only add/use them to the calendar apps in El Capitan and iOS 9, which would probably have the same issue.

If the solution directly from Apple doesn't correct the issue for you, there isn't much more I can add that may help. I would think that if you turned off Time Zone Management on all your devices, it would stay with your home time zone. But, if that affects other apps, then that isn't a worthwhile solution.

If I do come across anything further, I will be sure to let you know. Good luck and keep us in the loop, and sorry I couldn't help you out more.

C

Yeah, so far I'm coming up with nothing. I've not gotten help from senior advisors nor from the Genius Bar. One of the things that one of the advisors told me is that iOS doesn't support "floating." So why have it as an option at all on a cross-platform app? It really is a frustrating experience. I'll be going to Asia in about a week; I just love it when all my appointments are off by 11 hours. Correcting them one by one is a true delight. And, as you say, turning off Time Zone Management is no solution at all; it messes up every other app I have. Apple's silence on this issue is deafening.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Sorry to hear that. I haven't found any solutions either.

I will keep looking.

C

 

[ddh313]

Thanks, Cory.

 

[ddh313]

Still nothing and I'm off to Asia again. I can't believe this hasn't frustrated more people. I've read about missed flights, missed appointments and a lot of other issues caused by this problem. Anyone else have any thoughts? Anyone know of any other apps that might work?

 

[honestone]

Man, talk about frustrating! Really sorry to hear you are having such issues. I don't have any experience with using a calendar like you do, as I am retired, and thus don't have many appointments that I need to keep track of. Any chance that Sierra is any better for this?