how to convert a hash value returned from a date_select in rails to a Date object?

Question

I have a date_select in my view inside a form, however on submit the value returned is in a hash form like so:

{\"(1i)\"=>\"2010\", \"(2i)\"=>\"8\", \"         


        

Answer 1

Here's a generic way to do it, which also supports partial dates/times and empty fields:

def date_from_date_select_fields(params, name)
  parts = (1..6).map do |e|
    params["#{name}(#{e}i)"].to_i
  end

  # remove trailing zeros
  parts = parts.slice(0, parts.rindex{|e| e != 0}.to_i + 1)
  return nil if parts[0] == 0  # empty date fields set

  Date.new(*parts)
end

Example usage:

# example input:
#
# params = {
#   "user":
#     "date_of_birth(1i)": "2010",
#     "date_of_birth(2i)": "8",
#     "date_of_birth(3i)": "16"
#   }
# }
date_of_birth = date_from_date_select_fields(params[:user], 'date_of_birth')