DOB Validation

[gilby]

Maybe the OP still wants to validate it.
But allow it to entered in a "freeform" way such as "20 March 1999"?

Seeing the different date formats available around the world it would be impossible to correctly validate it all the time in a "freeform" way.

[chandraraj]

surely some one would be thr.. some one will answer to ur ques.

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[RodG]

Maybe the OP still wants to validate it.

I had considered that myself, but I read, and re-read what was stated, and no matter how hard I tried I simply couldn't find a way to translate

"is there anyway to remove the validation on the forms for the DOB" into anything remotely like "is there anyway alter the validation on the forms for the DOB"

Even the next sentence didn't tip me off either, which I read as:

"ie. Customers can enter something like 20 March 1999 instead of 03/20/1999, Or the 10th blue moon in the second quarter of the the year after I was born"

Seeing the different date formats available around the world it would be impossible to correctly validate it all the time in a "freeform" way.

So basically, even though you added a 'maybe' clause, you still came to the same conclusion that I did.
How am I supposed to interpret that?

Cheers
Rod

[eddy_r3]

Basically customers using the site are moaning that its a pain to have to enter the DOB in such a fashion, and wanted to remove the validation so its essentially just a text box, the reason for needing the DOB is for cross reference on applications and direct debit mandates and such.

So its quite important that the DOB field is there, but would like to make it less strict on its validation, it doesnt even need to be validated, just a text box labelled DOB would do for me! lol :)

Thanks for the replies, and i hope this makes a little more sense

[RodG]

eddy_r3,

I understand what you are wanting, and even the reasons for wanting it, but, although it may appear that it should be easy to skip the validation checks it practice it is going to be a little more complicated.

The situation is that this data is stored in the database using a special data type called 'datetime' (which at its core, is a number field). As such, it is incapable of storing text data, which is why the validation checks are needed to ensure the data is correctly formatted.

So, to do what you want AND store the data means that you'll either need to change the datatype that the store is using, which would be *very* unwise because there is no easy way of know what else is going to use that datafield, and if it has been changed, things can fail in rather catastrophic ways, OR you'll need at add a new column to the database table and then modify any code that stores or reads this data so that it references this new column. This would involve making edits and additions to at least 3 of zencart's core php files. Also a recipe for disaster.

That's the bad news.

The 'good' news is that PHP has some *very powerful* date/time handling methods... These are so good that you can *almost* enter freeform text and they'll correctly convert to the datetime format needed by the database. I've not looked, but I'll wager that Zencart already makes use of these to convert (say) 03/20/1999 to the datetime format (after it has done its validation). Theory dictates that a person could locate this code and *enhance* it so that other input formats (such as 20 mar 1999) will also be treated as 'valid' and therefore suitable for conversion to datetime. It is also (theortically) possible to skip all the validation checks and *hope* the conversion will still work, but this is FAR TO RISKY and will open the site up to SQL injection exploits.

Furthermore, although the date() methods are quite good at what they do, they would be unable to determine if 03/11/2012 is meant to be the 3rd of Nov, or the 11th of March - The same format has a different meaning depending on which country you are from. This is yet another reason why strict validation is required.

No matter how you look at it, it is not going to be an easy task and datetime issues have been the bane of many a good programmer.

Bottom line, there are solutions to your problem, but it involves a lot more than simply not validating the input (which incidently would also fail any PCI tests).

Cheers
Rod

[eddy_r3]

Hi Rod, thanks for your reply, and it makes a lot more sense now :)

My other question then, is there anyway to add fields into that form? Could i remove the DOB box altogether and replace it with a plain text box maybe?

Thanks again
Eddy

[RodG]

My other question then, is there anyway to add fields into that form? Could i remove the DOB box altogether and replace it with a plain text box maybe?Thanks againEddy

I already answered that..............OR you'll need at add a new column to the database table and then modify any code that stores or reads this data so that it references this new column. This would involve making edits and additions to at least 3 of zencart's core php files. Also a recipe for disaster. CheersRod