Set a locale in javascript

Question

jQuery tests the validity of a date via:

!/Invalid|NaN/.test(new Date(value))

new Date(dateString) is the same as Date.parse(dateString) and uses browser/OS locale to parse the string.

I'm trying to parse DD/MM/YYYY but I get an error because my browser is looking for MM/DD/YYYY. Since my product will be used only by DD/MM people, I want to force this behaviour.

I could write a custom validator, but is it possible to change the browser locale via JavaScript as well?

Solution 1

You can't change the locale, as there is no such feature in the EMCAScript specification.

However, there is a nice package called php.js that implements PHP functions in JavaScript.

Two of the functions are setlocale() and date(). You can use them.

Solution 2

You can now use JavaScript's Internationalization API because it's now supported in all browsers. It allows you to pass in a locale, which will customize the date format.

console.log(new Intl.DateTimeFormat('en-GB').format(date));

Reference: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/DateTimeFormat

Solution 3

You should use moment.js to parse dates.

//parse string according to format and return new moment
var day = moment("16/12/2017", "DD/MM/YYYY");  

var dayAsDate = day.toDate();  //you can even covert the moment to a Date

Globalize also has a date parsing module if you need to handle date strings in other locales/scripts.

Comments

[Pointy]

Wow, I would never ever recommend that anybody touch that php.js code with a pole of arbitrary length. Yuk.

[Sagi]

He can always watch the dependencies and use only the necessary functions.

[ariel]

im not using the php.js, accepted for the information that its impossible to change locale in javascript

[ELLIOTTCABLE]

Wow. Suggesting, not only that he utilize a huge library for this single purpose… but suggesting, specifically, a library that emulates *PHP*‽ That’s… irresponsible, to say the least. -1’d.

[Sagi]

Well, if you have any other idea, you are welcome to post it. Otherwise, he can use the specified functions from php.js. No need to use the whole library of course.

[George]

"impossible" proceeds to link to javascript library stating it is possible