Rails datepicker help

Question

I'm trying to use the calendar_date_select plug-in in my rails app and am 80% of the way there. I've got this in one of my views:

<%= calendar_date_select_tag "calendar", "", 
    :embedded => true, 
    :year_range => 10.years.ago..0.years.ago %>

The calendar shows up just fine, but I can't figure out how to get the value of the selected date into a usable variable. I've seen examples like

$F('calendar') 
$F(this)

but haven't had any luck. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

Answer 1

To access the <input> object created by calendar_date_select, you would use

$('calendar')

if you are using the Prototype javascript framework (default in Ruby on Rails) or

$('#calendar')

if you are using the JQuery javascript framework (if you have the JRails plugin/gem installed).

The libraries have slightly varied ways to access the value of that input so check out the documentation for the one you are using.

Cheers!

Answer 2

The one I sue called CalendarHelper efines a helper called calendar that accepts a block. The block is called for each day and you yield an array with two values [text of the cell (ussually day number),class and css style options]

<%= calendar(:year=>year,:month=>month,:abbrev=>(0..1)) do |d|
  cell_text = link_to_remote(d.mday,:update=>"panel",:url=>{:controller=>'portal',:action=>'agenda',:fecha=>d.to_time})+'<br />'  
  cell_attrs = nil
  [cell_text, cell_attrs]
end
%>

I put a link_to_remote AJAX call in the text of the calendar so the number itself is the action caller.

But you can put a javascript assignment that sets any variable of any form to the value you want, like

...link stuff..."onClick='my_form.my_date.value=#{d.to_time};'"...