How to check if DST (Daylight Saving Time) is in effect, and if so, the offset?

Question

This is a bit of my JS code for which this is needed:

var secDiff = Math.abs(Math.round((utc_date-this.premiere_date)/1000));
this.years = this.calculateUnit         


        

Answer 1

Your're close but a little off. You never need to calculate your own time as it is a result of your own clock. It can detect if you are using daylight saving time in your location but not for a remote location produced by the offset:

newDateWithOffset = new Date(utc + (3600000*(offset)));

This will still be wrong and off an hour if they are in DST. You need for a remote time account if they are currently inside their DST or not and adjust accordingly. try calculating this and change your clock to - lets say 2/1/2015 and reset the clock back an hour as if outside DST. Then calculate for an offset for a place that should still be 2 hours behind. It will show an hour ahead of the two hour window. You would still need to account for the hour and adjust. I did it for NY and Denver and always go the incorrect (hour ahead) in Denver.