# Datetime\_select issues

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/datetime-select-issues/164422>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [April 1, 2009, 10:27am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/datetime-select-issues/164422 "2009-04-01T10:27:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 10:27am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/datetime-select-issues/164422/1 "2009-04-01T10:27:01Z")

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I tried using this to build a datetime text box area: select\_datetime  
(date = Time.now, :order =\> [:year, :month, :day])

This just returns a hash will the year, month, day, hour, minute.

I also tried using datetime\_select to do the same thing, but cant  
figure out how to capture the value of the input. Is there an easier  
way to do this??

Thanks,

Josh

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/datetime-select-issues/164422/2 "2009-04-01T16:53:05Z")

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i’m not sure this is what you’re looking for, but there are a few ways  
to solve this:

1. use a text input field, e.g.

form.text\_field :model, :date\_wanted

and the user inputs a date e.g. 01/14/2009, rails will convert the  
input into the proper datetime (if your db field is of type:  
datetime).  
tip: you can use some js to have a calendar popup when the field is  
entered to allow users to click on a date.

1. if you want to use a select menu, you don’t have to worry about  
parsing the values in the controller–they’ll be magically parsed by  
AR upon save. just have the options’ values be real date names. e.g.  
March or 03, etc. AR also handles times, so if you input 12 AM, it  
will convert it to 0:00:00, etc.

the advantage to your initial attempt at using a select menu is that  
it helps almost ensure properly input data, and screen readers can  
handle them clearly.

hth

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