Default Today's date

[msupriya]

Hi Team,

Greetings of the day,
This is related to date field, is their any possibility of getting today’s date as default in the date field.

Could you please respond ASAP. Thanks

Regards,
Supriya

[wroos]

Hello,
you can use a workaround: calculate as once(today()).
Default doesn’t allow a calculation.
Kind regards

[Kal_Lam]

Hi @msupriya,

As outlined by @wroos you could also do it as shown in the image below using today() under the calculation and keeping the read_only as TRUE with the date question type:

Or, using now() under the calculation and keeping the read_only as TRUE with the date question type as shown in the image below:

Both the approaches will give you the same result as shown in the image below:

Data entry screen as seen in Enketo:

Reference xlsform: Using today()
Default Today’s Date.xlsx (9.5 KB)

Reference xlsform: Using now()
Default Today’s Date.xlsx (9.5 KB)

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An alternative way is using the using the same calculation in a constraint. For this, please have a look at the workaround discussed previously:

Making constraint with date entry (allowing only today's date)

Hi @williamouchi, Welcome to the community! You could do the same as outlined in the image below: In the survey tab of your xlsform: [Image 0.01] Reference xlsform: Date Inputs (Past, Current, Future).xlsx (16.9 KB) Please note: This best works with Collect apps (KoBoCollect android app or ODK Collect android app). It may not work as it should in Enketo (at the moment). Have a great day!

Have a great day!

[stephanealoo]

HI @msupriya
Just to emphasize, the use of once as indicated by @wroos allows the date to be picked and it will not change even if you reopened the form at a later date. On the other hand, if you only use today() or now() the question will change to the day and time the form is last opened and the questions browsed through. The use of the functionality “once” prevents this,

@wroos

calculate as once(today()).

Stephane

[prosperous]

This is highly appreciated!

[wroos]

Hint: As stephane noted, using today() function without once will update when you open/save the form. (This is different to the metadata today which doesn’t change.)