jQuery-UI datepicker default date

I have a problem with the jQuery-UI datepicker, I have searched and searched but I didn't find the answer. I have the following code:

<script type="text/javascript">
$(function() {               
    $("#birthdate" ).datepicker({
        changeMonth: true,
        changeYear: true,
        yearRange: '1920:2010',
        dateFormat : 'dd-mm-yy',
        defaultDate: '01-01-1985'
    });
});
</script>

I want that when the user click in the #birthdate input that the current date selected to be 01-01-1985, now it's setting the current date.

Try passing in a Date object instead. I can't see why it doesn't work in the format you have entered:

<script type="text/javascript">
$(function() {               
    $("#birthdate" ).datepicker({
        changeMonth: true,
        changeYear: true,
        yearRange: '1920:2010',
        dateFormat : 'dd-mm-yy',
        defaultDate: new Date(1985, 00, 01)
    });
});
</script>

http://api.jqueryui.com/datepicker/#option-defaultDate

Specify either an actual date via a Date object or as a string in the current dateFormat, or a number of days from today (e.g. +7) or a string of values and periods ('y' for years, 'm' for months, 'w' for weeks, 'd' for days, e.g. '+1m +7d'), or null for today.

You can try with the code that is below.

It will make the default date become the date you are looking for.

$('#birthdate').datepicker("setDate", new Date(1985,01,01) );

Seeing that:

Set the date to highlight on first opening if the field is blank. Specify either an actual date via a Date object or as a string in the current dateFormat, or a number of days from today (e.g. +7) or a string of values and periods ('y' for years, 'm' for months, 'w' for weeks, 'd' for days, e.g. '+1m +7d'), or null for today.

If the current dateFormat is not recognized, you can still use the Date object using new Date(year, month, day)

In your example, this should work (I didn't test it) :

<script type="text/javascript">
$(function() {               
    $("#birthdate" ).datepicker({
        changeMonth: true,
        changeYear: true,
        yearRange: '1920:2010',
        dateFormat : 'dd-mm-yy',
        defaultDate: new Date(1985,01,01)
    });
});
</script>

If you want to update the highlighted day to a different day based on some server time, you can override the Date Picker code to allow for a new custom option named localToday or whatever you'd like to name it.

A small tweak to the selected answer in jQuery UI DatePicker change highlighted "today" date

// Get users 'today' date
var localToday = new Date();
localToday.setDate(tomorrow.getDate()+1); // tomorrow

// Pass the today date to datepicker
$( "#datepicker" ).datepicker({
    showButtonPanel: true,
    localToday: localToday    // This option determines the highlighted today date
});

I've overridden 2 datepicker methods to conditionally use a new setting for the "today" date instead of a new Date(). The new setting is called localToday.

Override $.datepicker._gotoToday and $.datepicker._generateHTML like this:

$.datepicker._gotoToday = function(id) {
    /* ... */
    var date = inst.settings.localToday || new Date()
    /* ... */
}

$.datepicker._generateHTML = function(inst) {
    /* ... */
    tempDate = inst.settings.localToday || new Date()
    /* ... */
}

Here's a demo which shows the full code and usage: http://jsfiddle.net/NAzz7/5/

jQuery UI Datepicker is coded to always highlight the user's local date using the class ui-state-highlight. There is no built-in option to change this.

One method, described similarly in other answers to related questions, is to override the CSS for that class to match ui-state-default of your theme, for example:

.ui-state-highlight {
    border: 1px solid #d3d3d3;
    background: #e6e6e6 url(images/ui-bg_glass_75_e6e6e6_1x400.png) 50% 50% repeat-x;
    color: #555555;
}

However this isn't very helpful if you are using dynamic themes, or if your intent is to highlight a different day (e.g., to have "today" be based on your server's clock rather than the client's).

An alternative approach is to override the datepicker prototype that is responsible for highlighting the current day.

Assuming that you are using a minimized version of the UI javascript, the following snippets can address these concerns.

If your goal is to prevent highlighting the current day altogether:

// copy existing _generateHTML method
var _generateHTML = jQuery.datepicker.constructor.prototype._generateHTML;
// remove the string "ui-state-highlight"
_generateHtml.toString().replace(' ui-state-highlight', '');
// and replace the prototype method
eval('jQuery.datepicker.constructor.prototype._generateHTML = ' + _generateHTML);

This changes the relevant code (unminimized for readability) from:

[...](printDate.getTime() == today.getTime() ? ' ui-state-highlight' : '') + [...]

to

[...](printDate.getTime() == today.getTime() ? '' : '') + [...]

If your goal is to change datepicker's definition of "today":

var useMyDateNotYours = '07/28/2014';
// copy existing _generateHTML method
var _generateHTML = jQuery.datepicker.constructor.prototype._generateHTML;
// set "today" to your own Date()-compatible date
_generateHTML.toString().replace('new Date,', 'new Date(useMyDateNotYours),');
// and replace the prototype method
eval('jQuery.datepicker.constructor.prototype._generateHTML = ' + _generateHTML);

This changes the relevant code (unminimized for readability) from:

[...]var today = new Date();[...]

to

[...]var today = new Date(useMyDateNotYours);[...]
// Note that in the minimized version, the line above take the form `L=new Date,`
// (part of a list of variable declarations, and Date is instantiated without parenthesis)

Instead of useMyDateNotYours you could of course also instead inject a string, function, or whatever suits your needs.

Jquery Datepicker defaultDate ONLY set the default date that you chose on the calendar that pops up when you click on your field. If you want the default date to APPEAR on your input before the user clicks on the field you should give a val() to your field. Something like this:

$("#searchDateFrom").datepicker({ defaultDate: "-1y -1m -6d" });
$("#searchDateFrom").val((date.getMonth()) + '/' + (date.getDate() - 6) + '/' + (date.getFullYear() - 1));

$("#birthdate" ).datepicker("setDate", new Date(1985,01,01))