Date and loader settings
Two Archive settings shape how event lists feel: whether dates are shown, and what appears while results load.
Hide events date
Settings → POM Events → Archive → Hide events date
Removes the date panel from event list items across the site. The single event page is unaffected.
When to enable it
- The date format in use is long and dominates each list item.
- The list is a teaser and the event page carries the detail.
- Your programme's dates are imprecise by nature — seasons, exhibitions.
- The list appears in a narrow column where the date panel does not fit.
When to leave it off
For most event sites. The date is the second thing a visitor wants after the title, and removing it forces a click to find out when something is.
The three date controls, distinguished
| Control | Scope | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Hide events date (Archive settings) | Site-wide | Removes dates from list items |
| Hide event date (on the event) | One event | Removes dates from that event's page and list items |
| Date format (on the event) | One event | Changes how that event's dates are printed |
They stack. An event with its own switch on has no dates anywhere, whatever the site setting says.
Events list loader
Settings → POM Events → Archive → Events list loader — Image to be displayed while loading events.
Search results update without reloading the page. The loader is what tells the visitor that a filter change is being processed.
Choosing one
- Small. It appears in the results area; a large image is a bigger interruption than the wait it covers.
- Neutral. It appears on every filter change, so it should not draw attention to itself.
- On brand, quietly. A simple mark in the site's colors is enough.
- Light. It is loaded to indicate speed; a heavy file is self-defeating.
Leaving it empty
Acceptable. The results still update; there is simply no visual indicator during the wait.
On a fast site with short lists, nobody notices. On a slower connection or a long list, visitors do — and a filter that appears to do nothing gets clicked again.
Together
The two settings pull in the same direction on a compact list: hiding dates makes items shorter, and a small loader keeps the change unobtrusive.
For a full programme page, the opposite is usually right: keep the dates and set a clear loader, because visitors are scanning for a specific date.
Verify
- Save the section.
- Open a list page signed out.
- Confirm list items show or hide dates as configured.
- Confirm the single event page still shows its dates.
- Change a filter and watch for the loader.
- Check both on a phone, and on a throttled connection if you can.