Question

Comparing 2 Dates in Javascript - Date comparison in Javascript

Asked by: frankmorrison

I'm trying to compare 2 dates on a form. What is the simplest way to do this?  Here's what I have so far:

<html>


<script>

function Compare() {


if (document.frmTest.startDate.value > document.frmTest.endDate.value){
alert ("Start Date is greater");
}

if (document.frmTest.startDate.value < document.frmTest.endDate.value){
alert ("End Date is greater");
}

if (document.frmTest.startDate.value == document.frmTest.endDate.value){
alert ("Dates are the same");
}


}
</script>


<body>


<form name="frmTest">
      Start Date: <input type="text" name="startDate" size="12">
      <br>
      End Date: <input type="text" name="endDate" size="12">
      <a href="javascript:Compare();">Compare</a>

</form>

</body>

</html>

If the user enters "8/1/2005" for the Start Date and "8/2/2005" for the End Date, the script works. But if the user enters "8/1/2005" and "11/01/2005" the script does not work.

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Asked On
2005-08-24 at 19:41:20ID21539279
Tags

javascript

,

date

,

compare

,

comparison

Topic

JavaScript

Participating Experts
4
Points
500
Comments
5

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Answers

 

by: ThogekPosted on 2005-08-24 at 21:04:48ID: 14749067

Note that the text-box's value property is a string, so the results you are getting are correct, when you realize that you're doing string (not date) comparisons.

You could try something like:

    if ( new Date(document.frmTest.startDate.value) > new Date(document.frmTest.endDate.value) ){
        alert ("Start Date is greater");
    }

 

by: pravinasarPosted on 2005-08-24 at 21:11:55ID: 14749099

What you are doing is text comparison. This will work provided you append "0" to month and day portion
(if month or day is less than 9).

Or

You can use Date object and Date arithematics to efficient comparison

function DateComare (date1Str, date2Str) {

var date1  = new Date(date1Str);
var date2  = new Date(date2Str);
//
if (date1 < date2)
{
   alert ("Date1 is greater ");
}
else if (date1 > date2)
{
   alert ("Date2 is greater ");
}
else {
   alert ("Same Dates");
}
}

 

by: ZvonkoPosted on 2005-08-25 at 00:47:11ID: 14749811

All inormation you need for Dae compare are in upper commets.
Hery only a complete example:

<html>
<head>
<script>
function Compare(theBtn){
  var theForm = theBtn.form;
  var sDate = new Date(theForm.startDate.value);
  var eDate = new Date(theForm.endDate.value);
  if (sDate >eDate){
    alert ("Start Date is greater");
  }
  if (sDate < eDate){
    alert ("End Date is greater");
  }

  if (sDate == eDate){
    alert ("Dates are the same");
  }
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<form name="frmTest">
     Start Date: <input type="text" name="startDate" size="12">
     <br>
     End Date: <input type="text" name="endDate" size="12">
     <input type=button vane="Check" value="Compare" onClick="Compare(this)">
</form>
</body>
</html>

 

by: rb79Posted on 2007-11-26 at 17:43:25ID: 20354778


@Zvonko:

Your sDate == eDate did not work for me in IE6 with sDate constructed using "03/31/2005" and eDate constructed using "3/31/2005"

You can use the following instead:
sDate.toString() == eDate.toString()

 

by: ZvonkoPosted on 2007-11-27 at 14:19:37ID: 20361827

I did not notice that. Thanks for feedback.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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