startdate,endDate validations how is it done?

HI,
I have 2 date fields on form. StartDate(fromDate) and EndDate(toDate). Currently I have a calender image which is linked with javascript to click on date and it comes/populates on the text field. User cannot add the date directly in the text field.

But now the user should also be allowed to put the dates with hand type in these 2 fields and also could use the calender if they want to use (they can click on it and the date populates).
what is generally done in this case? The required format is mm/dd/yyyy format. But the user could also enter dd/mm/yyyy format. It the date is likely to be understood like 12/25/2005 it's ok. But if user enters by mistake dd/mm/yyyy like 25/12/2005 then it's an error. How is the format checked? How is it validated?

Is it checked with javascript at client side or checked in backend side in java application?
[ May 26, 2005: Message edited by: Bear Bibeault ]

Clientside validation with JavaScript is fallable and shouldn't be relied on. Always validate serverside.

To control the format of your dates why not change from two input fields to six - day, month and year for each of the two dates? That way rather than trying to anticipate how many combinations of possible date formats the user could enter you tell them which format your application requires.

Originally posted by Paul Sturrock:
Clientside validation with JavaScript is fallable and shouldn't be relied on. Always validate serverside.

To control the format of your dates why not change from two input fields to six - day, month and year for each of the two dates? That way rather than trying to anticipate how many combinations of possible date formats the user could enter you tell them which format your application requires.

Or better, 3 select lists for each date.

thanks for your suggestions. Do you know a sample code which already exists online?

The problem is going to be populating the date fields using the calendar. I don't know whether you're using a third-party component or not but there should be a way to capture and parse the return value from the calendar picker to populate the three separate fields rather than the single field.

we are supposed to use Javascript.
Does javascript automatically detect the format of Date?
If yes, any suggestions on how to check it?

Moved to the HTML/Javascript forum.

JavaScript will use the format of "MM/DD/YYYY"

but how would you tell the difference bewteen

04/05/2005

are we talking April 5th or May 4th?

basically you need to state the date format on your form.

Eric

So assuming your calendar picker returns a JavaScript date, just parse the date into the three values you need.