Dates To Time

dates_to_time.rb

def dates_to_time(date_string, created_at)
  if date_string[/[0-9]+/].blank?
    # there aren't any numbers in it
    return 0
  else
    # there's at least one number to derive date from
    if date_string[/\'(\d){2}/].present?
      # uses Month '14 for example
      matched_year = date_string[/\'(\d){2}/]
      # extrapolate the decade from when this record was created
      decade = created_at.blank? ? "20" : created_at.strftime("%Y")[0..1]
      return Chronic.parse(date_string.gsub("'", decade)).at_beginning_of_month.to_time.to_i
    elsif date_string[/or|\-/].present?
      # uses 'date - date' OR 'date or date' or 'date-date'
      splitter = date_string[/or|\-/]
      return Chronic.parse(date_string.split(splitter).first.strip).to_time.to_i
    else
      return 0
    end
  end
end

In the attempt to handle old, dirty dates such as:

Oct '14 # inaccurate conversion using Chronic
April 2014 # inaccurate conversion using Chronic
3/12/14-3/12/15 # a single date should be picked
Fall 2014 # no conversion using Chronic
6/10/2014 or 6/11/2014 # a single date should be picked