Rails 4 - Convert datetime into separate date and time fields

Question

How can you convert a mysql datetime field into two form fields (1) date only, (2) time only, and combine both fields back into datetime format on form submit?

This would allow the use of the following gems, but store the dates in a single datetime field:

gem 'bootstrap-datepicker-rails'
gem 'bootstrap-timepicker-rails'

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Found the solution with help from @Althaf

Added virtual attributes to model.rb Used before_save callback to convert back to datetime.

before_save :convert_to_datetime

def sched_date_field
  sched_date.strftime("%d/%m/%Y") if sched_date.present?
end 

def sched_time_field
  sched_time.strftime("%I:%M%p") if sched_time.present?
end

def sched_date_field=(date)
  # Change back to datetime friendly format
  @sched_date_field = Date.parse(date).strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
end

def sched_time_field=(time)
  # Change back to datetime friendly format
  @sched_time_field = Time.parse(time).strftime("%H:%M:%S")
end

def convert_to_datetime
  self.sched_time = DateTime.parse("#{@sched_date_field} #{@sched_time_field}")
end

Using Rails 4, needed to add sched_date_field and sched_time_field to strong params in controller.rb

Here are the fields in _form.html.erb

<%= f.label :sched_date_field, "Scheduled Date" %>
<%= f.text_field :sched_date_field, :class => "datepicker" %>

<%= f.label :sched_time_field, "Scheduled Time" %>
<%= f.text_field :sched_time_field, :class => "timepicker" %>