date input field should be optional in php - php

Question

Hi guys i have a from where user is going to select a course from drop down and second input user will select expired date that should be optional.so when user didn't give date it is showing error as Your Due date should be in future.
I don't know why it is showing like that if i didn't give any date in input field also.
here is my code:
if (isset($_POST['assigncourse'])) {
$courseid = $_POST['courseid'];
//$duedate = date('Y-m-d', strtotime($_POST['duedate']));
$duedate = strtotime($_POST['duedate']);
$now = strtotime(date('Y-m-d'));
if ($now < $duedate)
{
$courseid = required_param('courseid', PARAM_TEXT);
$groupid = required_param('groupid', PARAM_TEXT);
$insert_record = new stdClass();
$insert_record->courseid = $courseid;
$insert_record->groupid = $_SESSION['groupid'];
$insert_record->duedate = $duedate;
$insert_record->createdby= $id;
$insert_record->createdon = date('Y-m-d H:i:s');
$sql1 = "SELECT *
FROM mdl_ppc_assigncourses_group
WHERE groupid='".$_SESSION['groupid']."'
AND courseid='$courseid'";
$courses = $DB->get_records_sql($sql1);
if (count($courses) > 1) {
$errorMessage = "The course already taken!";
} else {
$DB->insert_record('ppc_assigncourses_group', $insert_record);
}
} else {
$errorMessage = "Your Due date should be in future.";
}
}
Here is my form:
<!-- /.card-header -->
<form class="form-horizontal" id="sign-in" style="margin-left: -2px; padding: 15px 15px 0px 15px" method="post" role="form" data-parsley-validate="" novalidate="">
<input type="hidden" name="groupid" class="col-md-12 form-control" id="inputEmail3" required="" value="<?php echo $_SESSION['groupid']; ?>" >
<!-- select -->
<input type="hidden" name="depid" class="col-md-12 form-control" id="inputEmail3" required="" value="<?php echo $_SESSION['depid']; ?>" >
<div class="form-group">
<label>Choose Course</label>
<select name="courseid" id="courseid" class="form-control" required>
<?php
$sql = "select id,fullname from {course} where id!='1' ";
$courses = $DB->get_records_sql($sql);
?>
<option value="">Choose Course</option>
<?php
if (sizeof($courses)): foreach ($courses as $row):
$coursename = $row->fullname;
?>
<option value="<?php echo $row->id; ?>"><?php echo $row->fullname; ?></option>
<?php
endforeach;
endif;
?>
</select>
</div>
<div class="form-group label-floating">
<label class="control-label">Due Date</label>
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="datepicker" name="duedate" >
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<button type="submit" name="assigncourse" id="submit" class="btn btn-info form-control">Assign</button>
</div>
</form>
Can anyone help me what mistake i have done.
Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

The problem is if duedate is not set. $now cannot be smaller than duedate.
This line:
if ($now < $duedate)
you will have to change. Make it so it looks if $duedate is set in first place.
if (isset($_POST['assigncourse'])) {
$courseid = $_POST['courseid'];
//$duedate = date('Y-m-d', strtotime($_POST['duedate']));
if(isset($_POST['duedate']) && ($_POST['duedate'] != "")) {
$duedate = strtotime($_POST['duedate']);
}
else {
$duedate = false;
}
$now = strtotime(date('Y-m-d'));
if ((!$duedate) || ($now < $duedate))
{
$courseid = required_param('courseid', PARAM_TEXT);
$groupid = required_param('groupid', PARAM_TEXT);
$insert_record = new stdClass();
$insert_record->courseid = $courseid;
$insert_record->groupid = $_SESSION['groupid'];
if(is_numeric($duedate)) {
$insert_record->duedate = $duedate;
}
else {
$insert_record->duedate = time();
}
$insert_record->createdby= $id;
$insert_record->createdon = date('Y-m-d H:i:s');
$sql1 = "SELECT *
FROM mdl_ppc_assigncourses_group
WHERE groupid='".$_SESSION['groupid']."'
AND courseid='$courseid'";
$courses = $DB->get_records_sql($sql1);
if (count($courses) > 1) {
$errorMessage = "The course already taken!";
} else {
$DB->insert_record('ppc_assigncourses_group', $insert_record);
}
} else {
$errorMessage = "Your Due date should be in future.";
}
}
ViewPage:
<td><?php if($duedate > 0) { echo date('Y-M-d',$duedate); } ?></td>

Answer 2

You need to check if the $duedate has a value. You would do that like this.
if(isset($duedate) && $duedate){
if(strtotime($now) < strtotime($duedate)){
echo 'Do something';
}else{
echo 'Do something else.';
}
}else{
echo 'You need to enter a due date.';
}
Your code would look like this:
if (isset($_POST['assigncourse'])) {
$courseid = $_POST['courseid'];
//$duedate = date('Y-m-d', strtotime($_POST['duedate']));
//$duedate = strtotime($_POST['duedate']);
$now = date('Y-m-d');
if(isset($_POST['duedate']) && $_POST['duedate']){
if(strtotime($now) < strtotime($_POST['duedate']))
{
$courseid = required_param('courseid', PARAM_TEXT);
$groupid = required_param('groupid', PARAM_TEXT);
$insert_record = new stdClass();
$insert_record->courseid = $courseid;
$insert_record->groupid = $_SESSION['groupid'];
$insert_record->duedate = $duedate;
$insert_record->createdby= $id;
$insert_record->createdon = date('Y-m-d H:i:s');
$sql1 = "SELECT *
FROM mdl_ppc_assigncourses_group
WHERE groupid='".$_SESSION['groupid']."'
AND courseid='$courseid'";
$courses = $DB->get_records_sql($sql1);
if (count($courses) > 1) {
$errorMessage = "The course already taken!";
}else{
$DB->insert_record('ppc_assigncourses_group', $insert_record);
}
}else{
$errorMessage = "Your Due date should be in future.";
}
}
}