ASP.NET MVC Data Annotations DateTime Default Value

Question

In my ViewModel I have the following attribute:

[Required]
[DataType(DataType.Date, ErrorMessage = "Please enter a valid date in the format dd/mm/yyyy")]
[Display(Name = "Date of Birth")]
public DateTime DOB { get; set; }

In my View I have the following:

<div class="editor-label">
    @Html.LabelFor(model => model.DOB)
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
    @Html.EditorFor(model => model.DOB)
    @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.DOB)
</div>

Before submitting the form the default value for DOB is 1/01/0001, how do I stop this value from being auto-populated, I simply want an empty field when people visit this form?

Mayo · Accepted Answer · 2010-12-04 04:44:13Z

7

I believe you will have to use the nullable DateTime? type. DateTime cannot be null thus it will always have a value.

answered Dec 4, 2010 at 4:44

Mayo

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amurra · Accepted Answer · 2010-12-04 05:09:14Z

6

Try making the DOB DateTime nullable like @Mayo states:

public DateTime? DOB { get; set; }

answered Dec 4, 2010 at 5:09

amurra

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Chirag · Accepted Answer · 2014-03-25 12:11:06Z

1

DateTime is of type struct. So, by default DateTime cannot be null. It has default value equal to '01/01/0001'. Solution to your problem is to use the nullable DateTime? type. If you want it to default to some value like '01/01/2014', then you can assign value like: DOB = new DateTime(2014, 01, 01);

answered Mar 25, 2014 at 12:11

Chirag

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