ruby version date parsing differences and options

gistfile1.txt

Key issue - format of entered dates:
date is displayed like:  31/3/2011
date is input like:  31-3-2011

This is works correctly in ruby 1.8 and 1.9
ruby-1.8.7-p302 > Time.parse '31-3-2011' # => Thu Mar 31 00:00:00 -1000 2011 
ruby-1.9.2-p0 > Time.parse('31-3-2011')    # => 2011-03-31 00:00:00 -1000 

Changes in parsing dates for ruby 1.9:
* no longer has difference in parsing dates with dash or forward slash - they are always in euro format

potential for wrong dates:
ruby-1.8.7-p302 > Time.parse('10/1/2011') # => Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 -1000 2011 
ruby-1.8.7-p302 > Time.parse('10-1-2011') # => Mon Jan 10 00:00:00 -1000 2011 
ruby-1.9.2-p0 > Time.parse('10/1/2011') # => 2011-01-10 00:00:00 -1000 
ruby-1.9.2-p0 > Time.parse('10-1-2011') # => 2011-01-10 00:00:00 -1000 

or rasing exceptions:
ruby-1.8.7-p302 > Time.parse('3/31/2011') # => Thu Mar 31 00:00:00 -1000 2011 
ruby-1.9.2-p0 > Time.parse('3/31/2011')
ArgumentError: argument out of range
        from /Users/mark/.rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.2-p0/lib/ruby/1.9.1/time.rb:198:in `local'
        from /Users/mark/.rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.2-p0/lib/ruby/1.9.1/time.rb:198:in `make_time'
        from /Users/mark/.rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.2-p0/lib/ruby/1.9.1/time.rb:267:in `parse'
        from (irb):4
        from /Users/mark/.rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.2-p0/bin/irb:17:in `<main>'

and in euro format:
ruby-1.8.7-p302 > Time.parse '31/3/2011'
ArgumentError: argument out of range
        from /Users/mark/.rvm/rubies/ruby-1.8.7-p302/lib/ruby/1.8/time.rb:184:in `local'
        from /Users/mark/.rvm/rubies/ruby-1.8.7-p302/lib/ruby/1.8/time.rb:184:in `make_time'
        from /Users/mark/.rvm/rubies/ruby-1.8.7-p302/lib/ruby/1.8/time.rb:243:in `parse'
        from (irb):60
ruby-1.9.2-p0 > Time.parse '31/3/2011' # => 2011-03-31 00:00:00 -1000 

ISO standard format:
ruby-1.8.7-p302 > Time.parse('2011-3-31') # => Thu Mar 31 00:00:00 -1000 2011 
ruby-1.9.2-p0 > Time.parse('2011-3-31') # => 2011-03-31 00:00:00 -1000 
ruby-1.8.7-p302 > Time.parse('2011/3/31') # => Thu Mar 31 00:00:00 -1000 2011 
ruby-1.9.2-p0 > Time.parse('2011/3/31') # => 2011-03-31 00:00:00 -1000 

==

So if we want to have users input in euro format, i.e. 31/3/2011, and support Ruby 1.9,
then we need to probably use something like delocalize gem https://github.com/clemens/delocalize
OR:
we just use ISO standard (YYYY-MM-DD) for all data entry related to dates, and not worry about it.

Thanks for sharing this! Is this valid for Ruby 1.9.3-RC1 as well?

Best
Zeno

Hi Zeno -
I haven't looked at 1.9.3, so no idea if it's changed - let me know if you find anything different.

Thanks!
Mark

Thanks, seems that we solved the problem internally.