Datepicker value not binding correctly to model

If your AngularJS Datepicker is not binding the selected date to the model correctly, the issue might be due to:

• Incorrect ng-model usage
• Format mismatches between the Datepicker and AngularJS model
• Browser compatibility issues
• Not triggering AngularJS digest cycle ($scope.$apply())

Let’s go step by step to fix the issue.

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Step 1: Understanding the Problem

Common Incorrect Approach

<input type="date" ng-model="selectedDate">
<p>Selected Date: {{ selectedDate }}</p>

🔴 Issue:

• Sometimes, the value does not update in $scope.selectedDate.
• The selected date might appear as a string instead of a Date object.
• The AngularJS $scope might not detect the change automatically.

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Step 2: Correcting the Approach

Method 1: Use ng-change to Ensure Model Updates

Modify the input to manually trigger model updates:

<input type="date" ng-model="selectedDate" ng-change="updateDate(selectedDate)">
<p>Selected Date: {{ selectedDate | date:'yyyy-MM-dd' }}</p>

Controller Code

var app = angular.module("myApp", []);
app.controller("myController", function ($scope) {
    $scope.selectedDate = new Date(); // Default value

    $scope.updateDate = function (date) {
        console.log("Date selected:", date);
    };
});

Why This Works?

• ng-change="updateDate(selectedDate)" ensures that any change triggers $scope updates.
• Using {{ selectedDate | date:'yyyy-MM-dd' }} correctly formats the displayed date.

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Method 2: Handling Date Format Issues

If the model stores the date as a string instead of a Date object, ensure conversion:

$scope.selectedDate = new Date($scope.selectedDate);

Or modify the HTML to convert the date properly:

<p>Selected Date: {{ selectedDate ? (selectedDate | date:'yyyy-MM-dd') : 'No Date Selected' }}</p>

Why This Works?

• Prevents errors when selectedDate is undefined or null.

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Step 3: Fixing Datepicker in UI Frameworks

Using Bootstrap Datepicker

If using Bootstrap Datepicker, the issue may arise due to missing ng-model binding. Use datepicker-popup instead:

<input type="text" class="form-control" uib-datepicker-popup="yyyy-MM-dd" ng-model="selectedDate" is-open="opened" ng-click="openDatepicker()" />

Controller Code

$scope.opened = false;

$scope.openDatepicker = function () {
    $scope.opened = true;
};

Why This Works?

• uib-datepicker-popup="yyyy-MM-dd" ensures format compatibility.
• is-open="opened" allows clicking to open the Datepicker.