Two options for fixing the redundant date tags in Radiant CMS

README.md

Issue 322

These are two potential fixes for Issue 322 on Radiant CMS. Please discuss on the issue page.

datefix.patch

diff --git a/app/models/standard_tags.rb b/app/models/standard_tags.rb
index a71e76b..b7b0918 100644
--- a/app/models/standard_tags.rb
+++ b/app/models/standard_tags.rb
@@ -747,10 +747,10 @@ module StandardTags
 
   desc %{
     Renders the date based on the current page (by default when it was published or created).
-    The format attribute uses the same formating codes used by the Ruby @strftime@ function. By
-    default it's set to @%A, %B %d, %Y@.  The @for@ attribute selects which date to render.  Valid
-    options are @published_at@, @created_at@, @updated_at@, and @now@. @now@ will render the
-    current date/time, regardless of the  page.
+    The format attribute uses the same formating codes used by the Ruby @strftime@ function, or
+    the string 'rfc1123'. By default it's set to @%A, %B %d, %Y@.  The @for@ attribute selects
+    which date to render. Valid options are @published_at@, @created_at@, @updated_at@, and @now@.
+    @now@ will render the current date/time, regardless of the  page.
 
     *Usage:*
 
@@ -772,9 +772,13 @@ module StandardTags
     else
       page.published_at || page.created_at
     end
-    @i18n_date_format_keys ||= (I18n.config.backend.send(:translations)[I18n.locale][:date][:formats].keys rescue [])
-    format = @i18n_date_format_keys.include?(format.to_sym) ? format.to_sym : format
-    I18n.l date, :format => format
+    if (format == 'rfc1123')
+      CGI.rfc1123_date(date.to_time)
+    else
+      @i18n_date_format_keys ||= (I18n.config.backend.send(:translations)[I18n.locale][:date][:formats].keys rescue [])
+      format = @i18n_date_format_keys.include?(format.to_sym) ? format.to_sym : format
+      I18n.l date, :format => format
+    end
   end
 
   desc %{
@@ -973,16 +977,29 @@ module StandardTags
 
   desc %{
     Outputs the published date using the format mandated by RFC 1123. (Ideal for RSS feeds.)
+    The @for@ attribute selects which date to render, and takes the same options as @<r:date />@.
 
     *Usage:*
 
-    <pre><code><r:rfc1123_date /></code></pre>
+    <pre><code><r:rfc1123_date [for="published_at"] /></code></pre>
   }
   tag "rfc1123_date" do |tag|
     page = tag.locals.page
-    if date = page.published_at || page.created_at
-      CGI.rfc1123_date(date.to_time)
+    time_attr = tag.attr['for']
+    date = if time_attr
+      case
+      when time_attr == 'now'
+        Time.zone.now
+      when Page.date_column_names.include?(time_attr)
+        page[time_attr]
+      else
+        raise TagError, "Invalid value for 'for' attribute."
+      end
+    else
+      page.published_at || page.created_at
     end
+
+    CGI.rfc1123_date(date.to_time)
   end
 
   desc %{