Search code examples
djangodjango-formspython-datetimebootstrap-datetimepicker

Django expects wrong format when validating modelform datefield

I have a page where the user inputs some dates in the dd/mm/yyyy format.

In my settings file I have this:

DATE_INPUT_FORMATS = ('%d/%m/%Y','%Y/%m/%d', '%Y-%m-%d',) 
USE_TZ = True
USE_L10N = True
TIME_ZONE = 'Europe/Rome

I use the django bootstrap4 datetime picker plus

The field renders as such: (i apologize about the screenshot, i couldnt copy the html without it being escaped and it looked extra-messy)

enter image description here

The problem

The problem is that when i input dates in dd/mm/yyyy format, it uses the american format (mm/dd/yyyy) to validate them. So if i enter 27/12/2021 it will try to save [day 12, month 27, year 2021] and fail the validation. Preventing the formset from being saved.

What i don't understand is where in hell does django get the idea that it should use the american format to validate dates when I have set three separate DATE_INPUT_FORMATS and none of them are in the american format?

Here an image showing that on the page the date is collected in the right format enter image description here

And the response : [{'start_date': ['Enter a valid date.'], 'end_date': ['Enter a valid date.']}]

Forms

this is where i am now:

class EducationForm(forms.ModelForm):

# def clean_start_date(self):
#     print(self.cleaned_data['start_date'])
#     return datetime.strptime((self.cleaned_data['start_date']), '%Y-%m-%d')
# def clean_end_date(self):
#     return datetime.strptime((self.cleaned_data['end_date']),  '%Y-%m-%d')

    class Meta:
        model = Education
        fields = ['start_date', 'end_date', 'institution', 'title']
        # localized_fields = ('start_date', 'end_date',)
        widgets = {
            'start_date': DatePickerInput(attrs={
                'data-provide' : 'datepicker',
                'class' : 'form-control my-date-picker',
                # 'data-date-format' : "DD/MM/YYYY"
            },
            options={
                "format": "DD/MM/YYYY",
            }),
            'end_date': DatePickerInput(attrs={
                'placeholder': 'Ongoing',
                'data-provide' : 'datepicker',    
                'class' : 'form-control my-date-picker',           
                # 'data-date-format' : "DD/MM/YYYY"
            },
            options={
                "format": "DD/MM/YYYY",
            }),

Template

In the template there's nothing particular going on. I just render the datetime fields as {{ field }}.

Solution

  • In the end the solution was adding USE_L10N = False to my settings file. It appears that unless specified, django will disregard the contents of DATE_INPUT_FORMATS