Client Script Date/Time Functions

MB26 · ‎01-25-2011

This post started out with me trying to compare glide date/time fields via client scripts, which can be a bear. Since gs. is not available in the client, I was forced to come up with other methods of manipulating these fields via a client script. Using g_form.getNumericValue(), then parsing out the year, month, day, time etc. and putting that into a new Date() javascript object was one among many options I saw. However this method does not take into account differences in date/time formats.

The method I decided to use was Asynchronous Glide Ajax. Forget the "AJAXEvaluateSynchronously" function of the past. With GlideAjax you can query for information asynchronously not preventing the browser from continuing to respond, unlike the other. Big win! So I set out to build a "ClientDateTimeUtils" script include that a glideajax script could call.

I am hoping to continue to improve these scripts, add more functionality, etc. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. A common ClientDateTimeUtils script would be nice to have.

The actual script include can be way found below. These are the functions, and an associated glideajax examples, of what you can call with this.

getNowDateTimeDiff

This ajax function will allow you to calculate the date/time difference between a field on the form and the now date/time. You can specify a return type - "dttype" to get the result in seconds, minutes, hours, or days. See the comment below for the parameter values.



var cdt = g_form.getValue('due_date'); //First Date/Time field
var dttype = 'minute'; //this can be day, hour, minute, second. By default it will return seconds.

var ajax = new GlideAjax('ClientDateTimeUtils');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_name','getNowDateTimeDiff');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_fdt', cdt);
ajax.addParam('sysparm_difftype', dttype);
ajax.getXML(doSomething);

function doSomething(response){
var answer = response.responseXML.documentElement.getAttribute("answer");
alert(answer);
}

getDateTimeDiff

This ajax function will allow you to send in two different glide date/time fields and return a calculation of their date/time difference in seconds, minutes, hours, or days.



var cdt = g_form.getValue('due_date'); //First Date/Time field
var sdt = g_form.getValue('expected_start'); //Second Date/Time field
var dttype = 'minute'; //this can be day, hour, minute, second. By default it will return seconds.

var ajax = new GlideAjax('ClientDateTimeUtils');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_name','getDateTimeDiff');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_fdt', cdt);
ajax.addParam('sysparm_sdt', sdt);
ajax.addParam('sysparm_difftype', dttype);
ajax.getXML(doSomething);

function doSomething(response){
var answer = response.responseXML.documentElement.getAttribute("answer");
alert(answer);
}

getDateTimeBeforeNow

This ajax function will take a glide date/time field and return the amount of time till the now date/time. A positive number will represent prior to now, and negative will be how much time after now. This is pretty much a duplicate of the first one "getNowDateTimeDiff" but it gives you the opposite in positive, negative numbers. Positive = before, negative = after.



var cdt = g_form.getValue('due_date'); //first Date/Time field
var dttype = 'minute'; //this can be day, hour, minute, second. By default it will return seconds.

var ajax = new GlideAjax('ClientDateTimeUtils');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_name','getDateTimeBeforeNow');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_fdt', cdt);
ajax.addParam('sysparm_difftype', dttype);
ajax.getXML(doSomething);

function doSomething(response){
var answer = response.responseXML.documentElement.getAttribute("answer");
alert(answer);
}

getDateTimeBeforeNowBool

This ajax function will return a true or false if the date/time field is before the now date/time. This made it simpler, rather than having to do more processing on the client side, just evaluate true/false. Makes it simple.



var cdt = g_form.getValue('due_date'); //first Date/Time field

var ajax = new GlideAjax('ClientDateTimeUtils');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_name','getDateTimeBeforeNowBool');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_fdt', cdt);
ajax.getXML(doSomething);

function doSomething(response){
var answer = response.responseXML.documentElement.getAttribute("answer");
alert(answer);
}

getNowDateTime

This function returns the date and time of right now.



var ajax = new GlideAjax('ClientDateTimeUtils');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_name','getNowDateTime');
ajax.getXML(doSomething);

function doSomething(response){
var answer = response.responseXML.documentElement.getAttribute("answer");
alert(answer);

getNowDate

This function returns the date of right now.



var ajax = new GlideAjax('ClientDateTimeUtils');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_name','getNowDate');
ajax.getXML(doSomething);

function doSomething(response){
var answer = response.responseXML.documentElement.getAttribute("answer");
alert(answer);

getNowTime

This function returns the time of right now.



var ajax = new GlideAjax('ClientDateTimeUtils');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_name','getNowTime');
ajax.getXML(doSomething);

function doSomething(response){
var answer = response.responseXML.documentElement.getAttribute("answer");
alert(answer);

addDateTimeAmount

With this ajax function you can add more time to a glide date/time field. You can add seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years. If you want to take time away, use a negative number in the addtime variable.

Limitation:

One limitation that I have found so far is in the return date/time format. The added-to-time new date/time is returned in the standard internal date/time format. I am trying to figure out how to return it based on the user defined date/time format. Still a work in progress.



var cdt = g_form.getValue('due_date'); //Choose the field to add time from
var addtime = 3; //The amount of time to add
var addtype = 'day'; //The time type.   Can be second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year.

var ajax = new GlideAjax('ClientDateTimeUtils');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_name', 'addDateTimeAmount');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_fdt', cdt);
ajax.addParam('sysparm_addtime', addtime);
ajax.addParam('sysparm_addtype', addtype);
ajax.getXML(doSomething);


function doSomething(response){
       var answer = response.responseXML.documentElement.getAttribute("answer");
       //You could then take the new Date/Time answer and set the value of another field.
       // g_form.setValue('expected_start', answer); 
       alert(answer);
}

addDateAmount

This is a function to add time to a Glide Date field. You can add days, weeks, months, or years.



var cdt = g_form.getValue('some_date'); //Choose the field to add time from
var addtime = 3; //The amount of time to add
var addtype = 'day'; //The time type.   Can be day, week, month, year.

var ajax = new GlideAjax('ClientDateTimeUtils');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_name', 'addDateAmount');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_fdt', cdt);
ajax.addParam('sysparm_addtime', addtime);
ajax.addParam('sysparm_addtype', addtype);
ajax.getXML(doSomething);


function doSomething(response){
       var answer = response.responseXML.documentElement.getAttribute("answer");
       alert(answer);
}

addTimeAmount

This is a function to add time to a Glide Time field. You can add seconds, minutes, hours.



var cdt = g_form.getValue('some_time_field'); //Choose the field to add time from
var addtime = 3; //The amount of time to add
var addtype = 'day'; //The time type.   Can be second, minute, hour.

var ajax = new GlideAjax('ClientDateTimeUtils');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_name', 'addTimeAmount');
ajax.addParam('sysparm_fdt', cdt);
ajax.addParam('sysparm_addtime', addtime);
ajax.addParam('sysparm_addtype', addtype);
ajax.getXML(doSomething);


function doSomething(response){
       var answer = response.responseXML.documentElement.getAttribute("answer");
       alert(answer);
}

ClientDateTimeUtils Script Include Code
I have not found that there is any limitation with the date or time formats a user may use in the calculation of the dates/times on the server. I have tested each one of these in many different timezones and date/time formats with consistent success in their calculation. The only limitation that I have found is listed above in the "addDateTimeAmount" function. i.e. The returned date/time is in the standard internal format, not the user defined format. One other point of variation would be that all of my testing was done with Glide Date/Time fields. I have not tested merely Glide Date or Time fields.

var ClientDateTimeUtils = Class.create();
ClientDateTimeUtils.prototype = Object.extendsObject(AbstractAjaxProcessor, {

//Takes a Single Date/Time Field and returns its time difference from nowDateTime().
//params = sysparm_fdt (the first date/time field), sysparm_difftype (time based format to return result. See "_calcDateDiff" function comments)
getNowDateTimeDiff: function(){
var firstDT = this.getParameter('sysparm_fdt'); //First Date-Time Field
var diffTYPE = this.getParameter('sysparm_difftype'); // Date-Time Type to return the answer as. Can be second, minute, hour, day
var diff = gs.dateDiff(gs.nowDateTime(), firstDT, true);
var timediff = this._calcDateDiff(diffTYPE, diff);
//return "getNowDateTimeDiff: FIRST DT: " + firstDT + " -DIFFTYPE: " + diffTYPE + " -TIME DIFF: " + timediff;
return timediff;
},

//Diff the amount of time between two different Date/Time fields
//params = sysparm_fdt (the first date/time field), sysparm_sdt (second date/time field), sysparm_difftype (time based format to return result. See "_calcDateDiff" function comments)
getDateTimeDiff: function(){
var firstDT = this.getParameter('sysparm_fdt'); //First Date-Time Field
var secondDT = this.getParameter('sysparm_sdt'); // Second Date-Time Field
var diffTYPE = this.getParameter('sysparm_difftype'); // Date-Time Type to return the answer as. Can be second, minute, hour, day
var diff = gs.dateDiff(firstDT, secondDT, true);
var timediff = this._calcDateDiff(diffTYPE, diff);
//return "getDateTimeDiff: FIRST DT: " + firstDT + " -SECOND DT: " + secondDT + " -DIFFTYPE: " + diffTYPE + " -TIME DIFF: " + timediff;
return timediff;
},

//Takes your date/time field and returns the amount of time before now. A positive is time before now, a negative number is after now.
//params = sysparm_fdt (the first date/time field), sysparm_difftype (time based format to return result. See "_calcDateDiff" function comments)
getDateTimeBeforeNow: function(){
var firstDT = this.getParameter('sysparm_fdt'); //First Date-Time Field
var diffTYPE = this.getParameter('sysparm_difftype'); // Date-Time Type to return the answer as. Can be second, minute, hour, day
var diff = gs.dateDiff(firstDT, gs.nowDateTime(), true);
var timediff = this._calcDateDiff(diffTYPE, diff);
//return "getDateTimeBeforeNow: FIRST DT: " + firstDT + " -DIFFTYPE: " + diffTYPE + " -TIME DIFF: " + timediff;
return timediff;
},

//Returns true if it is before now, and false if it is after now.
//params = sysparm_fdt (the first date/time field)
getDateTimeBeforeNowBool: function(){
var firstDT = this.getParameter('sysparm_fdt'); //First Date-Time Field
var diff = gs.dateDiff(firstDT, gs.nowDateTime(), true);
var answer = '';
if (diff >= 0){answer = 'true';}
else {answer = 'false';}
return answer;
},

//Returns the Date/Time of right now.
getNowDateTime: function(){
var now = gs.nowDateTime(); //Now Date/Time
return now;
},

//Returns the Date right now.
getNowDate: function(){
var now = GlideDate();; //Now Date
return now.getLocalDate();
},

//Returns the Time of right now.
getNowTime: function(){
var now = GlideTime();; //Now Time
var modnow = now.getLocalTime().toString().split(' ');
return modnow[1];
},

//Takes a date/time field and adds time to it.
//params = sysparm_fdt (the first date/time field), sysparm_addtype (type of time to add - second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year), sysparm_addtime (amount of time to add based on the type).
addDateTimeAmount: function(){
var firstDT = this.getParameter('sysparm_fdt'); //First Date-Time Field
var addTYPE = this.getParameter('sysparm_addtype'); //What to add - second (addSeconds()), minute (need to add conversion), hour (need to add conversion), day (addDays()), week (addWeeks()), month (addMonths()), year (addYears())
var addTIME = this.getParameter('sysparm_addtime'); //How much time to add
var day = GlideDateTime(firstDT);

if(addTYPE == 'second'){day.addSeconds(addTIME);}
else if (addTYPE == 'minute'){day.addSeconds(addTIME*60);}
else if (addTYPE == 'hour'){day.addSeconds(addTIME*(60*60));}
else if (addTYPE == 'day'){day.addDays(addTIME);}
else if (addTYPE == 'week'){day.addWeeks(addTIME);}
else if (addTYPE == 'month'){day.addMonths(addTIME);}
else if (addTYPE == 'year'){day.addYears(addTIME);}
else {day.addDays(addTIME);}

//return "First Date: " + firstDT + " -Time to Add: " + addTIME + " -Add Type: " + addTYPE + " -Added Time: " + day;
return day;
},

//Takes a glide date field and adds time to it.
//params = sysparm_fdt (the first date/time field), sysparm_addtype (type of time to add - day, week, month, year),sysparm_addtime (amount of time to add based on the type).
addDateAmount: function(){
var firstDT = this.getParameter('sysparm_fdt'); //First Date Field
var addTYPE = this.getParameter('sysparm_addtype'); //What to add - day (addDays()), week (addWeeks()), month (addMonths()), year (addYears())
var addTIME = this.getParameter('sysparm_addtime'); //How much time to add
var day = GlideDate();
day.setValue(firstDT);

if(addTYPE == 'day'){day.addDays(addTIME);}
else if (addTYPE == 'week'){day.addWeeks(addTIME);}
else if (addTYPE == 'month'){day.addMonths(addTIME);}
else if (addTYPE == 'year'){day.addYears(addTIME);}
else {day.addDays(addTIME);}

//return "First Date: " + firstDT + " -Time to Add: " + addTIME + " -Add Type: " + addTYPE + " -Added Time: " + day;
return day;
},

addTimeAmount: function(){
var firstDT = this.getParameter('sysparm_fdt'); //First Date-Time Field
var addTYPE = this.getParameter('sysparm_addtype'); //What
var addTIME = this.getParameter('sysparm_addtime'); //How much time to add
var time = GlideTime();
time.setValue(firstDT);

if(addTYPE == 'second'){time.addSeconds(addTIME);}
else if (addTYPE == 'minute'){time.addSeconds(addTIME*60);}
else if (addTYPE == 'hour'){time.addSeconds(addTIME*(60*60));}
else {time.addSeconds(addTIME);}

var modtime = time.toString().split(' ');
//return "First Date: " + firstDT + " -Time to Add: " + addTIME + " -Add Type: " + addTYPE + " -Added Time: " + time;
return modtime[1];
},

//Private function to calculate the date difference return result in second, minute, hour, day.
_calcDateDiff: function(diffTYPE, seconds){
var thisdiff;
if (diffTYPE == "day"){thisdiff = seconds/86400;}
else if (diffTYPE == "hour"){thisdiff = seconds/3600;}
else if (diffTYPE == "minute"){thisdiff = seconds/60;}
else if (diffTYPE == "second"){thisdiff = seconds;}
else {thisdiff = seconds;}
return thisdiff;
}


});

Sue Frost · ‎06-03-2019

I set up the script include in the Global space and I've called it from there and from scoped applications.

Here's an example. It looks like the only change is to define the script include as global:

var ga = new GlideAjax('global.ClientDateTimeUtils');//Global

/* Script to only allow valid Dates */
function onChange(control, oldValue, newValue, isLoading) {
	if (isLoading || newValue == '') {
		return;
	}
	
	//Pass Date to Script Include
	var ga = new GlideAjax('global.ClientDateTimeUtils');//Global
	ga.addParam('sysparm_name','getMonth');
	ga.addParam('sysparm_dt',newValue );
	ga.addParam('sysparm_ud', g_user_date_format);//User Date Format
	ga.getXML(getMonth);
	
	//Type appropriate comment here, and begin script below
	function getMonth(response) {
		try{
			//Remove any Previous Errors
			g_form.hideFieldMsg("date");
			//Get Values from Script Includes
			var xml = response.responseXML;
			var e = xml.documentElement;
			var items = xml.getElementsByTagName("item");
			var item = items[0];
			var month = item.getAttribute('value');
			//If the Month is not Nov
			if(month!=11){
				getMessage('invalid_month', function(msg){
					g_form.showFieldMsg("date", msg, "error");
				});
				//g_form.showFieldMsg("u_date", 'Invalid month / Mois invalide', "error");
				g_form.setValue("date",'');
			}
			
		}catch(err){
			alert("ERROR - Allow Only Nov Dates - " + err);
		}
	}
}

Mike Naputano · ‎07-24-2020

Hi folks - Super helpful post, even from years ago now. I was trying to utilize this script include from a client script that adds 10 business days from a selection the user makes in the return date field on a unique table we created (u_return_date). Based on that selection, I want the Due Date field (u_due_date) to be set to 10 business days in the future. I have seen some syntax on how this is done in other areas, but I am failing to get a handle on where to add it in the ClientDateTimeUtils script include. I want to check against the OotB schedule '8-5 weekdays excluding holidays'.

Currently, the script include is working for me to add 10 days once I choose a Return Date, but now I just need to exclude weekends. Does anyone have any code they can share with us?

Thanks!
Mike

ashish31 · ‎11-02-2020

Any luck with this?

arkroyal · ‎03-12-2021

This has been invaluable, thank you for posting, even if it was years ago.

I've used the script to set an expiry date field. It works perfectly well for some and not others and I'm pretty sure it's to do with the formatting. The original date is dd-MM-yyyy and when adding a year to the date it works perfectly well for any day over the 12th of each month giving the result as dd-MM-yyyy, however for the first 12 days of each month the result returns as MM-dd-yyyy.

I've used the 'Takes a glide date field and adds time to it' part.

Can anybody offer any suggestions on what I need to do to resolve this?

williame · ‎03-11-2022

While I know this is an extremely OLD post - I have figured out #8 - it is a bit of a hack however it does work! ( this is part of the Client Script Not the Script Util )

var getString = answer.toString();
var getDate = getString.split(' ')[0];
var getTime = getString.split(' ')[1];
var getYear = getDate.split('-')[0];
var getMonth = getDate.split('-')[1];
var getDay = getDate.split('-')[2];
var setDateTime = getMonth + "-" + getDay + "-" + getYear + ' ' + getTime;
g_form.setValue('end_date', setDateTime);