Add a way to retrieve a UTC now datetime in Liquid

[Skrypt]

utc: {{ "utc_now" | local | date: "%c" }}
local : {{ "now" | local | date: "%c" }}
local is the default : {{ "now" | date: "%c" }}

At the same time I'm questioning the TimeZoneFilter name now. "local" doesn't make sense anymore if we do this. The idea of the TimeZoneFilter should be to allow returning a local DateTime or a DateTime affected by an offset. Here, we should probably consider creating a filter that allows passing a TimeZoneId or an Offset value simply. Need to think about the design. But at the same time | local here doesn't make sense to be required to retrieve a UTC DateTime value.

Else, a refactor of this filter might become a breaking change. Maybe better simply create a new one.

[hishamco]

Why we didn't add UTC into Fluid? Or extend Now filter to support UTC through pipe operator

{{ "now" | utc | date: "%c" }}

[Skrypt]

The first value there is what you are suggesting which doesn't work.
But I think you are right. This is what would be needed now. I think that the TimeZoneFilter here has no use anymore because the current timezone of the tenant is now passed to Fluid by default. It was not the case when we did this filter 4 years ago.

[Skrypt]

After adding UtcTimeZoneFilter:

    local is the default: {{ "now" | date: "%c" }}<br />
    local: {{ "now" | local | date: "%c" }}<br />
    utc: {{ "now" | utc | date: "%c" }}<br />

[Skrypt]

Why we didn't add UTC into Fluid? Or extend Now filter to support UTC through pipe operator

It is not just "now" but all DateTimes that are converted when passed in these filters. So, yes, adding a UTC one makes sense then. It will basically remove or add your tenant timezone offset to these DateTimes.

[sebastienros]

Relevant PR in Fluid to parse date time inputs (including "now") sebastienros/fluid#431

There is a time_zone filter to convert to any timezone. ,e.g., {{ "now" | time_zone: 'utc' }}