Timezone in gaming mode out of sync with desktop mode
[General] - Steam doesn't dynamically reflect the active timezone.
Issue transferred from https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/11581.
@ZereoX posted on 2024-12-16T20:25:20:
Your system information
- Steam client version (build number or date): 1733265492 (Stable) / 1734061824 (Beta)
- Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): SteamOS 3.6.20 / 3.7.0 (Deck) and Manjaro w/ Gnome 46 (Desktop)
- Opted into Steam client beta?: Yes. Issue is present on both Stable and Beta
- Have you checked for system updates?: Yes
- Steam Logs: steam-logs.tar.gz
- GPU: AMD Van Gogh RDNA 2.0 (Steam Deck) and RX 7800XT (Desktop)
Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:
Steam does not dynamically reflect the active timezone. Steam will therefore always reflect the timezone set on its launch and maintain it until it is restarted. On Steam Deck, the user isn't prompted to restart the device when changing the timezone (under Steam > Settings > General > Timezone) which make it appear as if it wasn't applied.
| Steam Deck - EST :white_check_mark: | Steam Deck - CST :x: | Desktop :x: |
|---|---|---|
Video
https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/95e66981-3c55-4239-bd0f-70c6e98e483a
Note: The video above shows the system timezone is correctly being updated by Steam, but Steam's own clock doesn't reflect the change.
Steps for reproducing this issue:
- Navigate to Steam > Settings > General.
- Select a different timezone from the one currently set.
Reproduction Rate: 5/5
Affected Platforms
- LCD / Jupiter: Yes
- OLED / Galileo: Yes
- Desktop Deck-like session (
gamescope -e -- steam -gamepadui -steamdeck): Yes - Desktop: Yes
Note: On Desktop the timezone must be changed at a system level as Steam's Timezone option is only available on Steam Deck / Deck-like session.
Actual result
- The system clock on Steam Deck retains the previous timezone when changed. On Desktop this also affects the Steam Overlay and Clock module.
Expected result
- Steam dynamically updates the system clock when the timezone is changed or prompts the user that Steam must be restarted for the setting to apply.
This is still an issue: changing the timezone while in the gaming session won't update the time displayed by Steam in the top right corner until the next restart.
The system journal reports that the timezone was correctly updated, at Steam's request:
deck: Executing command [USER=root] [TTY=unknown] [CWD=/home/deck/.local/share/Steam] [COMMAND=/usr/bin/steamos-polkit-helpers/steamos-set-timezone Europe/Paris]
Starting Time & Date Service...
Started Time & Date Service.
Changed time zone to 'Europe/Paris' (CEST).
Your system information
Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:
This issue has been there since day 1 but it should be fixed as it is an inconsistency.
In gaming mode settings>general where it says something like Eastern Standard Time "Miami, Montreal, New York", if one then goes to desktop mode settings>regional settings>date & time it'll say current time zone is "America/New York (LMT)". But, if one changes that to America/Toronto as an example, it seems fine, but when you return to gaming mode, all of a sudden it's no longer on EST but now Pacific time.
So, changing the timezone in desktop mode from New York to Toronto, does not leave gaming mode's timezone EST as it was before, but changes it to Pacific, which doesn't really make a lot of sense.
Steps for reproducing this issue: