Module: ActionView::Helpers::DateHelper

Included in:
ActionView::Helpers
Defined in:
lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb

Overview

The Date Helper primarily creates select/option tags for different kinds of dates and date elements. All of the select-type methods share a number of common options that are as follows:

  • :prefix - overwrites the default prefix of “date” used for the select names. So specifying “birthday”

would give birthday instead of date if passed to the select_month method.

  • :include_blank - set to true if it should be possible to set an empty date.

  • :discard_type - set to true if you want to discard the type part of the select name. If set to true, the select_month method would use simply “date” (which can be overwritten using :prefix) instead of “date”.

Instance Method Summary collapse

Instance Method Details

#date_select(object_name, method, options = {}, html_options = {}) ⇒ Object

Returns a set of select tags (one for year, month, and day) pre-selected for accessing a specified date-based attribute (identified by method) on an object assigned to the template (identified by object). You can the output in the options hash.

Options

  • :use_month_numbers - Set to true if you want to use month numbers rather than month names (e.g.

    "2" instead of "February").

  • :use_short_month - Set to true if you want to use the abbreviated month name instead of the full name (e.g. “Feb” instead of “February”).

  • :add_month_number - Set to true if you want to show both, the month’s number and name (e.g. “2 - February” instead of “February”).

  • :use_month_names - Set to an array with 12 month names if you want to customize month names. Note: You can also use Rails’ new i18n functionality for this.

  • :date_separator - Specifies a string to separate the date fields. Default is “” (i.e. nothing).

  • :start_year - Set the start year for the year select. Default is Time.now.year - 5.

  • :end_year - Set the end year for the year select. Default is Time.now.year + 5.

  • :discard_day - Set to true if you don’t want to show a day select. This includes the day as a hidden field instead of showing a select field. Also note that this implicitly sets the day to be the first of the given month in order to not create invalid dates like 31 February.

  • :discard_month - Set to true if you don’t want to show a month select. This includes the month as a hidden field instead of showing a select field. Also note that this implicitly sets :discard_day to true.

  • :discard_year - Set to true if you don’t want to show a year select. This includes the year as a hidden field instead of showing a select field.

  • :order - Set to an array containing :day, :month and :year do customize the order in which the select fields are shown. If you leave out any of the symbols, the respective select will not be shown (like when you set :discard_xxx => true. Defaults to the order defined in the respective locale (e.g. [:year, :month, :day] in the en locale that ships with Rails).

  • :include_blank - Include a blank option in every select field so it’s possible to set empty dates.

  • :default - Set a default date if the affected date isn’t set or is nil.

  • :disabled - Set to true if you want show the select fields as disabled.

If anything is passed in the html_options hash it will be applied to every select tag in the set.

NOTE: Discarded selects will default to 1. So if no month select is available, January will be assumed.

Examples

# Generates a date select that when POSTed is stored in the post variable, in the written_on attribute
date_select("post", "written_on")

# Generates a date select that when POSTed is stored in the post variable, in the written_on attribute,
# with the year in the year drop down box starting at 1995.
date_select("post", "written_on", :start_year => 1995)

# Generates a date select that when POSTed is stored in the post variable, in the written_on attribute,
# with the year in the year drop down box starting at 1995, numbers used for months instead of words,
# and without a day select box.
date_select("post", "written_on", :start_year => 1995, :use_month_numbers => true,
                                  :discard_day => true, :include_blank => true)

# Generates a date select that when POSTed is stored in the post variable, in the written_on attribute
# with the fields ordered as day, month, year rather than month, day, year.
date_select("post", "written_on", :order => [:day, :month, :year])

# Generates a date select that when POSTed is stored in the user variable, in the birthday attribute
# lacking a year field.
date_select("user", "birthday", :order => [:month, :day])

# Generates a date select that when POSTed is stored in the user variable, in the birthday attribute
# which is initially set to the date 3 days from the current date
date_select("post", "written_on", :default => 3.days.from_now)

# Generates a date select that when POSTed is stored in the credit_card variable, in the bill_due attribute
# that will have a default day of 20.
date_select("credit_card", "bill_due", :default => { :day => 20 })

The selects are prepared for multi-parameter assignment to an Active Record object.

Note: If the day is not included as an option but the month is, the day will be set to the 1st to ensure that all month choices are valid.



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# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb', line 178

def date_select(object_name, method, options = {}, html_options = {})
  InstanceTag.new(object_name, method, self, options.delete(:object)).to_date_select_tag(options, html_options)
end

#datetime_select(object_name, method, options = {}, html_options = {}) ⇒ Object

Returns a set of select tags (one for year, month, day, hour, and minute) pre-selected for accessing a specified datetime-based attribute (identified by method) on an object assigned to the template (identified by object). Examples:

If anything is passed in the html_options hash it will be applied to every select tag in the set.

Examples

# Generates a datetime select that, when POSTed, will be stored in the post variable in the written_on
# attribute
datetime_select("post", "written_on")

# Generates a datetime select with a year select that starts at 1995 that, when POSTed, will be stored in the
# post variable in the written_on attribute.
datetime_select("post", "written_on", :start_year => 1995)

# Generates a datetime select with a default value of 3 days from the current time that, when POSTed, will
# be stored in the trip variable in the departing attribute.
datetime_select("trip", "departing", :default => 3.days.from_now)

# Generates a datetime select that discards the type that, when POSTed, will be stored in the post variable
# as the written_on attribute.
datetime_select("post", "written_on", :discard_type => true)

The selects are prepared for multi-parameter assignment to an Active Record object.



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# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb', line 245

def datetime_select(object_name, method, options = {}, html_options = {})
  InstanceTag.new(object_name, method, self, options.delete(:object)).to_datetime_select_tag(options, html_options)
end

#distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, to_time = 0, include_seconds = false, options = {}) ⇒ Object

Reports the approximate distance in time between two Time or Date objects or integers as seconds. Set include_seconds to true if you want more detailed approximations when distance < 1 min, 29 secs Distances are reported based on the following table:

0 <-> 29 secs                                                             # => less than a minute
30 secs <-> 1 min, 29 secs                                                # => 1 minute
1 min, 30 secs <-> 44 mins, 29 secs                                       # => [2..44] minutes
44 mins, 30 secs <-> 89 mins, 29 secs                                     # => about 1 hour
89 mins, 29 secs <-> 23 hrs, 59 mins, 29 secs                             # => about [2..24] hours
23 hrs, 59 mins, 29 secs <-> 47 hrs, 59 mins, 29 secs                     # => 1 day
47 hrs, 59 mins, 29 secs <-> 29 days, 23 hrs, 59 mins, 29 secs            # => [2..29] days
29 days, 23 hrs, 59 mins, 30 secs <-> 59 days, 23 hrs, 59 mins, 29 secs   # => about 1 month
59 days, 23 hrs, 59 mins, 30 secs <-> 1 yr minus 1 sec                    # => [2..12] months
1 yr <-> 2 yrs minus 1 secs                                               # => about 1 year
2 yrs <-> max time or date                                                # => over [2..X] years

With include_seconds = true and the difference < 1 minute 29 seconds:

0-4   secs      # => less than 5 seconds
5-9   secs      # => less than 10 seconds
10-19 secs      # => less than 20 seconds
20-39 secs      # => half a minute
40-59 secs      # => less than a minute
60-89 secs      # => 1 minute

Examples

from_time = Time.now
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time + 50.minutes)        # => about 1 hour
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, 50.minutes.from_now)           # => about 1 hour
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time + 15.seconds)        # => less than a minute
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time + 15.seconds, true)  # => less than 20 seconds
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, 3.years.from_now)              # => over 3 years
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time + 60.hours)          # => about 3 days
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time + 45.seconds, true)  # => less than a minute
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time - 45.seconds, true)  # => less than a minute
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, 76.seconds.from_now)           # => 1 minute
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time + 1.year + 3.days)   # => about 1 year
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time + 4.years + 9.days + 30.minutes + 5.seconds) # => over 4 years

to_time = Time.now + 6.years + 19.days
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, to_time, true)     # => over 6 years
distance_of_time_in_words(to_time, from_time, true)     # => over 6 years
distance_of_time_in_words(Time.now, Time.now)           # => less than a minute



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# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb', line 59

def distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, to_time = 0, include_seconds = false, options = {})
  from_time = from_time.to_time if from_time.respond_to?(:to_time)
  to_time = to_time.to_time if to_time.respond_to?(:to_time)
  distance_in_minutes = (((to_time - from_time).abs)/60).round
  distance_in_seconds = ((to_time - from_time).abs).round

  I18n.with_options :locale => options[:locale], :scope => :'datetime.distance_in_words' do |locale|
    case distance_in_minutes
      when 0..1
        return distance_in_minutes == 0 ?
               locale.t(:less_than_x_minutes, :count => 1) :
               locale.t(:x_minutes, :count => distance_in_minutes) unless include_seconds

        case distance_in_seconds
          when 0..4   then locale.t :less_than_x_seconds, :count => 5
          when 5..9   then locale.t :less_than_x_seconds, :count => 10
          when 10..19 then locale.t :less_than_x_seconds, :count => 20
          when 20..39 then locale.t :half_a_minute
          when 40..59 then locale.t :less_than_x_minutes, :count => 1
          else             locale.t :x_minutes,           :count => 1
        end

      when 2..44           then locale.t :x_minutes,      :count => distance_in_minutes
      when 45..89          then locale.t :about_x_hours,  :count => 1
      when 90..1439        then locale.t :about_x_hours,  :count => (distance_in_minutes.to_f / 60.0).round
      when 1440..2879      then locale.t :x_days,         :count => 1
      when 2880..43199     then locale.t :x_days,         :count => (distance_in_minutes / 1440).round
      when 43200..86399    then locale.t :about_x_months, :count => 1
      when 86400..525599   then locale.t :x_months,       :count => (distance_in_minutes / 43200).round
      when 525600..1051199 then locale.t :about_x_years,  :count => 1
      else                      locale.t :over_x_years,   :count => (distance_in_minutes / 525600).round
    end
  end
end

#select_date(date = Date.current, options = {}, html_options = {}) ⇒ Object

Returns a set of html select-tags (one for year, month, and day) pre-selected with the date. It’s possible to explicitly set the order of the tags using the :order option with an array of symbols :year, :month and :day in the desired order. If you do not supply a Symbol, it will be appended onto the :order passed in.

If anything is passed in the html_options hash it will be applied to every select tag in the set.

Examples

my_date = Time.today + 6.days

# Generates a date select that defaults to the date in my_date (six days after today)
select_date(my_date)

# Generates a date select that defaults to today (no specified date)
select_date()

# Generates a date select that defaults to the date in my_date (six days after today)
# with the fields ordered year, month, day rather than month, day, year.
select_date(my_date, :order => [:year, :month, :day])

# Generates a date select that discards the type of the field and defaults to the date in
# my_date (six days after today)
select_date(my_date, :discard_type => true)

# Generates a date select that defaults to the date in my_date,
# which has fields separated by '/'
select_date(my_date, :date_separator => '/')

# Generates a date select that defaults to the datetime in my_date (six days after today)
# prefixed with 'payday' rather than 'date'
select_date(my_date, :prefix => 'payday')



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# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb', line 324

def select_date(date = Date.current, options = {}, html_options = {})
  DateTimeSelector.new(date, options, html_options).select_date
end

#select_datetime(datetime = Time.current, options = {}, html_options = {}) ⇒ Object

Returns a set of html select-tags (one for year, month, day, hour, and minute) pre-selected with the datetime. It’s also possible to explicitly set the order of the tags using the :order option with an array of symbols :year, :month and :day in the desired order. If you do not supply a Symbol, it will be appended onto the :order passed in. You can also add :date_separator, :datetime_separator and :time_separator keys to the options to control visual display of the elements.

If anything is passed in the html_options hash it will be applied to every select tag in the set.

Examples

my_date_time = Time.now + 4.days

# Generates a datetime select that defaults to the datetime in my_date_time (four days after today)
select_datetime(my_date_time)

# Generates a datetime select that defaults to today (no specified datetime)
select_datetime()

# Generates a datetime select that defaults to the datetime in my_date_time (four days after today)
# with the fields ordered year, month, day rather than month, day, year.
select_datetime(my_date_time, :order => [:year, :month, :day])

# Generates a datetime select that defaults to the datetime in my_date_time (four days after today)
# with a '/' between each date field.
select_datetime(my_date_time, :date_separator => '/')

# Generates a datetime select that defaults to the datetime in my_date_time (four days after today)
# with a date fields separated by '/', time fields separated by '' and the date and time fields
# separated by a comma (',').
select_datetime(my_date_time, :date_separator => '/', :time_separator => '', :datetime_separator => ',')

# Generates a datetime select that discards the type of the field and defaults to the datetime in
# my_date_time (four days after today)
select_datetime(my_date_time, :discard_type => true)

# Generates a datetime select that defaults to the datetime in my_date_time (four days after today)
# prefixed with 'payday' rather than 'date'
select_datetime(my_date_time, :prefix => 'payday')



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# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb', line 288

def select_datetime(datetime = Time.current, options = {}, html_options = {})
  DateTimeSelector.new(datetime, options, html_options).select_datetime
end

#select_day(date, options = {}, html_options = {}) ⇒ Object

Returns a select tag with options for each of the days 1 through 31 with the current day selected. The date can also be substituted for a hour number. Override the field name using the :field_name option, ‘day’ by default.

Examples

my_date = Time.today + 2.days

# Generates a select field for days that defaults to the day for the date in my_date
select_day(my_time)

# Generates a select field for days that defaults to the number given
select_day(5)

# Generates a select field for days that defaults to the day for the date in my_date
# that is named 'due' rather than 'day'
select_day(my_time, :field_name => 'due')



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# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb', line 440

def select_day(date, options = {}, html_options = {})
  DateTimeSelector.new(date, options, html_options).select_day
end

#select_hour(datetime, options = {}, html_options = {}) ⇒ Object

Returns a select tag with options for each of the hours 0 through 23 with the current hour selected. The hour can also be substituted for a hour number. Override the field name using the :field_name option, ‘hour’ by default.

Examples

my_time = Time.now + 6.hours

# Generates a select field for hours that defaults to the hour for the time in my_time
select_hour(my_time)

# Generates a select field for hours that defaults to the number given
select_hour(13)

# Generates a select field for hours that defaults to the minutes for the time in my_time
# that is named 'stride' rather than 'second'
select_hour(my_time, :field_name => 'stride')



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# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb', line 419

def select_hour(datetime, options = {}, html_options = {})
  DateTimeSelector.new(datetime, options, html_options).select_hour
end

#select_minute(datetime, options = {}, html_options = {}) ⇒ Object

Returns a select tag with options for each of the minutes 0 through 59 with the current minute selected. Also can return a select tag with options by minute_step from 0 through 59 with the 00 minute selected. The minute can also be substituted for a minute number. Override the field name using the :field_name option, ‘minute’ by default.

Examples

my_time = Time.now + 6.hours

# Generates a select field for minutes that defaults to the minutes for the time in my_time
select_minute(my_time)

# Generates a select field for minutes that defaults to the number given
select_minute(14)

# Generates a select field for minutes that defaults to the minutes for the time in my_time
# that is named 'stride' rather than 'second'
select_minute(my_time, :field_name => 'stride')



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# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb', line 398

def select_minute(datetime, options = {}, html_options = {})
  DateTimeSelector.new(datetime, options, html_options).select_minute
end

#select_month(date, options = {}, html_options = {}) ⇒ Object

Returns a select tag with options for each of the months January through December with the current month selected. The month names are presented as keys (what’s shown to the user) and the month numbers (1-12) are used as values (what’s submitted to the server). It’s also possible to use month numbers for the presentation instead of names – set the :use_month_numbers key in options to true for this to happen. If you want both numbers and names, set the :add_month_numbers key in options to true. If you would prefer to show month names as abbreviations, set the :use_short_month key in options to true. If you want to use your own month names, set the :use_month_names key in options to an array of 12 month names. Override the field name using the :field_name option, ‘month’ by default.

Examples

# Generates a select field for months that defaults to the current month that
# will use keys like "January", "March".
select_month(Date.today)

# Generates a select field for months that defaults to the current month that
# is named "start" rather than "month"
select_month(Date.today, :field_name => 'start')

# Generates a select field for months that defaults to the current month that
# will use keys like "1", "3".
select_month(Date.today, :use_month_numbers => true)

# Generates a select field for months that defaults to the current month that
# will use keys like "1 - January", "3 - March".
select_month(Date.today, :add_month_numbers => true)

# Generates a select field for months that defaults to the current month that
# will use keys like "Jan", "Mar".
select_month(Date.today, :use_short_month => true)

# Generates a select field for months that defaults to the current month that
# will use keys like "Januar", "Marts."
select_month(Date.today, :use_month_names => %w(Januar Februar Marts ...))



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# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb', line 478

def select_month(date, options = {}, html_options = {})
  DateTimeSelector.new(date, options, html_options).select_month
end

#select_second(datetime, options = {}, html_options = {}) ⇒ Object

Returns a select tag with options for each of the seconds 0 through 59 with the current second selected. The second can also be substituted for a second number. Override the field name using the :field_name option, ‘second’ by default.

Examples

my_time = Time.now + 16.minutes

# Generates a select field for seconds that defaults to the seconds for the time in my_time
select_second(my_time)

# Generates a select field for seconds that defaults to the number given
select_second(33)

# Generates a select field for seconds that defaults to the seconds for the time in my_time
# that is named 'interval' rather than 'second'
select_second(my_time, :field_name => 'interval')



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# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb', line 376

def select_second(datetime, options = {}, html_options = {})
  DateTimeSelector.new(datetime, options, html_options).select_second
end

#select_time(datetime = Time.current, options = {}, html_options = {}) ⇒ Object

Returns a set of html select-tags (one for hour and minute) You can set :time_separator key to format the output, and the :include_seconds option to include an input for seconds.

If anything is passed in the html_options hash it will be applied to every select tag in the set.

Examples

my_time = Time.now + 5.days + 7.hours + 3.minutes + 14.seconds

# Generates a time select that defaults to the time in my_time
select_time(my_time)

# Generates a time select that defaults to the current time (no specified time)
select_time()

# Generates a time select that defaults to the time in my_time,
# which has fields separated by ':'
select_time(my_time, :time_separator => ':')

# Generates a time select that defaults to the time in my_time,
# that also includes an input for seconds
select_time(my_time, :include_seconds => true)

# Generates a time select that defaults to the time in my_time, that has fields
# separated by ':' and includes an input for seconds
select_time(my_time, :time_separator => ':', :include_seconds => true)



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# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb', line 355

def select_time(datetime = Time.current, options = {}, html_options = {})
  DateTimeSelector.new(datetime, options, html_options).select_time
end

#select_year(date, options = {}, html_options = {}) ⇒ Object

Returns a select tag with options for each of the five years on each side of the current, which is selected. The five year radius can be changed using the :start_year and :end_year keys in the options. Both ascending and descending year lists are supported by making :start_year less than or greater than :end_year. The date can also be substituted for a year given as a number. Override the field name using the :field_name option, ‘year’ by default.

Examples

# Generates a select field for years that defaults to the current year that
# has ascending year values
select_year(Date.today, :start_year => 1992, :end_year => 2007)

# Generates a select field for years that defaults to the current year that
# is named 'birth' rather than 'year'
select_year(Date.today, :field_name => 'birth')

# Generates a select field for years that defaults to the current year that
# has descending year values
select_year(Date.today, :start_year => 2005, :end_year => 1900)

# Generates a select field for years that defaults to the year 2006 that
# has ascending year values
select_year(2006, :start_year => 2000, :end_year => 2010)



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# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb', line 505

def select_year(date, options = {}, html_options = {})
  DateTimeSelector.new(date, options, html_options).select_year
end

#time_ago_in_words(from_time, include_seconds = false) ⇒ Object Also known as: distance_of_time_in_words_to_now

Like distance_of_time_in_words, but where to_time is fixed to Time.now.

Examples

time_ago_in_words(3.minutes.from_now)       # => 3 minutes
time_ago_in_words(Time.now - 15.hours)      # => 15 hours
time_ago_in_words(Time.now)                 # => less than a minute

from_time = Time.now - 3.days - 14.minutes - 25.seconds     # => 3 days



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# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb', line 102

def time_ago_in_words(from_time, include_seconds = false)
  distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, Time.now, include_seconds)
end

#time_select(object_name, method, options = {}, html_options = {}) ⇒ Object

Returns a set of select tags (one for hour, minute and optionally second) pre-selected for accessing a specified time-based attribute (identified by method) on an object assigned to the template (identified by object). You can include the seconds with :include_seconds.

This method will also generate 3 input hidden tags, for the actual year, month and day unless the option :ignore_date is set to true.

If anything is passed in the html_options hash it will be applied to every select tag in the set.

Examples

# Creates a time select tag that, when POSTed, will be stored in the post variable in the sunrise attribute
time_select("post", "sunrise")

# Creates a time select tag that, when POSTed, will be stored in the order variable in the submitted
# attribute
time_select("order", "submitted")

# Creates a time select tag that, when POSTed, will be stored in the mail variable in the sent_at attribute
time_select("mail", "sent_at")

# Creates a time select tag with a seconds field that, when POSTed, will be stored in the post variables in
# the sunrise attribute.
time_select("post", "start_time", :include_seconds => true)

# Creates a time select tag with a seconds field that, when POSTed, will be stored in the entry variables in
# the submission_time attribute.
time_select("entry", "submission_time", :include_seconds => true)

# You can set the :minute_step to 15 which will give you: 00, 15, 30 and 45.
time_select 'game', 'game_time', {:minute_step => 15}

The selects are prepared for multi-parameter assignment to an Active Record object.

Note: If the day is not included as an option but the month is, the day will be set to the 1st to ensure that all month choices are valid.



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# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/date_helper.rb', line 217

def time_select(object_name, method, options = {}, html_options = {})
  InstanceTag.new(object_name, method, self, options.delete(:object)).to_time_select_tag(options, html_options)
end