Implement Application Timeline Variables Across Website & Fix Date Formatting (Resolving Issue #517)

[ChasVanDav]

Summary

This PR integrates the dynamically generated application timeline variables (pr #613) throughout the website and updates the date formatting to ensure consistency and proper handling of year transitions.

Changes Made

✅ Implemented generate_application_timeline() across relevant pages to dynamically render application-related dates.
✅ Replaced hardcoded dates with variables from the timeline dictionary.
✅ Fixed date formatting issues to ensure:

• Dates are displayed in the "Month DD, YYYY" format.
• Ranges use "Month DD, YYYY - Month DD, YYYY" when spanning different years.
• Year transitions (e.g., October 2025 - April 2026) are correctly handled in job search timelines.
  ✅ Updated Flask routes to pass timeline data to templates.

🛠️ How to Test
Navigate to pages using timeline data (e.g., /mentor/).
Verify that all dates display correctly and adjust based on .env values.

Additional Notes
Ensure .env contains a valid APP_OPEN_DATE in MM/DD/YY HH:MM:SS format,
and set APP_EXTENDED to true.

Other Considerations

• We had discussed adding ONBOARDING_DAY as an environmental variable since it could be different than the calculation. Is this still valid?
• I also noticed that the real extension was 10 days instead of 2 weeks(14 days) for the latest cohort. Should that logic be updated?

Next Steps
Add updated instructions to README file for setting up environment variables.
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Question:

⁇ Should I update all sets of instructions that originally has config.ini referenced?

[ChasVanDav]

@themagicianking Hi Thane! Would you mind helping me with this pr? I am wondering about the README instruction update. I think you were working on an issue related to this, so let's connect!

[themagicianking]

@ChasVanDav hey! Yes I am indeed working on that issue--I have not yet finished the documentation portion but hope to have it submitted for a review today :) I should be able to take a look at that after I finish my open source PR.

[ChasVanDav]

@daaimah123 Would you please take a look at the implementation of the timeline variables and let me know if it is rendering without issue on your end. Please also note I have several questions in my pr description that we have mentioned prior but hadn't resolved yet.

[daaimah123]

Config readme details should be adjusted in issue: Refactor code to use .env instead of config.ini - unless your changes are directly related to the ones you've called out.

Yes, I would prefer that we do have an onboarding day variable

Yes, 10 days is more accurate of the extension time frame

Please indicate what left over work you will be adding (if applicable). If none, let me know so that I can take a look at the code changes.

[ChasVanDav]

Config readme details should be adjusted in issue: Refactor code to use .env instead of config.ini - unless your changes are directly related to the ones you've called out.

Yes, I would prefer that we do have an onboarding day variable

Yes, 10 days is more accurate of the extension time frame

Please indicate what left over work you will be adding (if applicable). If none, let me know so that I can take a look at the code changes.

The only updates I need to make are the two you mentioned: adding onboarding day variable and adjust the extension timeframe. I will ping you when it is ready! @daaimah123