Store dates as Date objects

frontend/public/locales/en-GB/translation.json

@@ -1081,13 +1081,6 @@
   "changeMetadata": {
     "tags": "Title,author,date,creation,time,publisher,producer,stats",
     "header": "Change Metadata",
-    "selectText": {
-      "1": "Please edit the variables you wish to change",
-      "2": "Delete all metadata",
-      "3": "Show Custom Metadata:",
-      "4": "Other Metadata:",
-      "5": "Add Custom Metadata Entry"
-    },
     "submit": "Change",
     "filenamePrefix": "metadata",
     "settings": {
@@ -1125,16 +1118,15 @@
       "placeholder": "Document producer"
     },
     "dates": {
-      "title": "Document Dates",
+      "title": "Document Dates"
-      "format": "Format: yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss"
     },
     "creationDate": {
       "label": "Creation Date",
-      "placeholder": "e.g. 2025/01/17 14:30:00"
+      "placeholder": "Creation date"
     },
     "modificationDate": {
       "label": "Modification Date",
-      "placeholder": "e.g. 2025/01/17 14:30:00"
+      "placeholder": "Modification date"
     },
     "trapped": {
       "label": "Trapped Status",
@@ -1179,8 +1171,7 @@
         "title": "Date Fields",
         "text": "When the document was created and modified.",
         "bullet1": "Creation Date: When original document was made",
-        "bullet2": "Modification Date: When last changed",
+        "bullet2": "Modification Date: When last changed"
-        "bullet3": "Format: yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss (e.g., 2025/01/17 14:30:00)"
       },
       "options": {
         "title": "Additional Options",

frontend/src/components/tools/changeMetadata/steps/DocumentDatesStep.tsx

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Stack, Text } from "@mantine/core";
+import { Stack } from "@mantine/core";
 import { DateTimePicker } from "@mantine/dates";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { ChangeMetadataParameters } from "../../../../hooks/tools/changeMetadata/useChangeMetadataParameters";
@@ -16,43 +16,22 @@ const DocumentDatesStep = ({
 }: DocumentDatesStepProps) => {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
 
-  const parseDate = (dateString: string): Date | null => {
-    if (!dateString) return null;
-    const date = new Date(dateString.replace(/(\d{4})\/(\d{2})\/(\d{2}) (\d{2}):(\d{2}):(\d{2})/, '$1-$2-$3T$4:$5:$6'));
-    return isNaN(date.getTime()) ? null : date;
-  };
-
-  const formatDate = (date: Date | null): string => {
-    if (!date) return '';
-    const year = date.getFullYear();
-    const month = String(date.getMonth() + 1).padStart(2, '0');
-    const day = String(date.getDate()).padStart(2, '0');
-    const hours = String(date.getHours()).padStart(2, '0');
-    const minutes = String(date.getMinutes()).padStart(2, '0');
-    const seconds = String(date.getSeconds()).padStart(2, '0');
-    return `${year}/${month}/${day} ${hours}:${minutes}:${seconds}`;
-  };
-
   return (
     <Stack gap="md">
-      <Text size="xs" c="dimmed">
-        {t('changeMetadata.dates.format', 'Format: yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss')}
-      </Text>
-
       <DateTimePicker
         label={t('changeMetadata.creationDate.label', 'Creation Date')}
-        placeholder={t('changeMetadata.creationDate.placeholder', 'e.g. 2025/01/17 14:30:00')}
+        placeholder={t('changeMetadata.creationDate.placeholder', 'Creation date')}
-        value={parseDate(parameters.creationDate)}
+        value={parameters.creationDate}
-        onChange={(date) => onParameterChange('creationDate', formatDate(parseDate(date)))}
+        onChange={(date) => onParameterChange('creationDate', date ? new Date(date) : null)}
         disabled={disabled}
         clearable
       />
 
       <DateTimePicker
         label={t('changeMetadata.modificationDate.label', 'Modification Date')}
-        placeholder={t('changeMetadata.modificationDate.placeholder', 'e.g. 2025/01/17 14:30:00')}
+        placeholder={t('changeMetadata.modificationDate.placeholder', 'Modification date')}
-        value={parseDate(parameters.modificationDate)}
+        value={parameters.modificationDate}
-        onChange={(date) => onParameterChange('modificationDate', formatDate(parseDate(date)))}
+        onChange={(date) => onParameterChange('modificationDate', date ? new Date(date) : null)}
         disabled={disabled}
         clearable
       />

frontend/src/components/tooltips/useChangeMetadataTips.ts

@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ export const useDocumentDatesTips = (): TooltipContent => {
         bullets: [
           t("changeMetadata.tooltip.dates.bullet1", "Creation Date: When original document was made"),
           t("changeMetadata.tooltip.dates.bullet2", "Modification Date: When last changed"),
-          t("changeMetadata.tooltip.dates.bullet3", "Format: yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss (e.g., 2025/01/17 14:30:00)")
         ]
       }
     ]

frontend/src/hooks/tools/changeMetadata/useChangeMetadataOperation.test.ts

@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ describe('buildChangeMetadataFormData', () => {
     keywords: '',
     creator: '',
     producer: '',
-    creationDate: '',
+    creationDate: null,
-    modificationDate: '',
+    modificationDate: null,
     trapped: TrappedStatus.UNKNOWN,
     customMetadata: [],
     deleteAll: false,
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ describe('buildChangeMetadataFormData', () => {
         keywords: 'test, keywords',
         creator: 'Test Creator',
         producer: 'Test Producer',
-        creationDate: '2025/01/17 14:30:00',
+        creationDate: new Date('2025/01/17 14:30:00'),
-        modificationDate: '2025/01/17 15:30:00',
+        modificationDate: new Date('2025/01/17 15:30:00'),
         trapped: TrappedStatus.TRUE,
       },
       expectedFormData: {

frontend/src/hooks/tools/changeMetadata/useChangeMetadataOperation.ts

@@ -3,6 +3,18 @@ import { useToolOperation, ToolType } from '../shared/useToolOperation';
 import { createStandardErrorHandler } from '../../../utils/toolErrorHandler';
 import { ChangeMetadataParameters, defaultParameters } from './useChangeMetadataParameters';
 
+// Helper function to format Date object to string
+const formatDateForBackend = (date: Date | null): string => {
+  if (!date) return '';
+  const year = date.getFullYear();
+  const month = String(date.getMonth() + 1).padStart(2, '0');
+  const day = String(date.getDate()).padStart(2, '0');
+  const hours = String(date.getHours()).padStart(2, '0');
+  const minutes = String(date.getMinutes()).padStart(2, '0');
+  const seconds = String(date.getSeconds()).padStart(2, '0');
+  return `${year}/${month}/${day} ${hours}:${minutes}:${seconds}`;
+};
+
 // Static function that can be used by both the hook and automation executor
 export const buildChangeMetadataFormData = (parameters: ChangeMetadataParameters, file: File): FormData => {
   const formData = new FormData();
@@ -16,9 +28,9 @@ export const buildChangeMetadataFormData = (parameters: ChangeMetadataParameters
   formData.append("creator", parameters.creator || "");
   formData.append("producer", parameters.producer || "");
 
-  // Date fields
+  // Date fields - convert Date objects to strings
-  formData.append("creationDate", parameters.creationDate || "");
+  formData.append("creationDate", formatDateForBackend(parameters.creationDate));
-  formData.append("modificationDate", parameters.modificationDate || "");
+  formData.append("modificationDate", formatDateForBackend(parameters.modificationDate));
 
   // Trapped status
   formData.append("trapped", parameters.trapped || "");

frontend/src/hooks/tools/changeMetadata/useChangeMetadataParameters.test.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { renderHook, act } from '@testing-library/react';
-import { useChangeMetadataParameters } from './useChangeMetadataParameters';
+import { defaultParameters, useChangeMetadataParameters } from './useChangeMetadataParameters';
 import { TrappedStatus } from '../../../types/metadata';
 import { describe, expect, test } from 'vitest';
 
@@ -7,19 +7,7 @@ describe('useChangeMetadataParameters', () => {
   test('should initialize with default parameters', () => {
     const { result } = renderHook(() => useChangeMetadataParameters());
 
-    expect(result.current.parameters).toEqual({
+    expect(result.current.parameters).toStrictEqual(defaultParameters);
-      title: '',
-      author: '',
-      subject: '',
-      keywords: '',
-      creator: '',
-      producer: '',
-      creationDate: '',
-      modificationDate: '',
-      trapped: TrappedStatus.UNKNOWN,
-      customMetadata: [],
-      deleteAll: false,
-    });
   });
 
   describe('parameter updates', () => {
@@ -30,8 +18,8 @@ describe('useChangeMetadataParameters', () => {
       { paramName: 'keywords', value: 'test, metadata' },
       { paramName: 'creator', value: 'Test Creator' },
       { paramName: 'producer', value: 'Test Producer' },
-      { paramName: 'creationDate', value: '2025/01/17 14:30:00' },
+      { paramName: 'creationDate', value: new Date('2025/01/17 14:30:00') },
-      { paramName: 'modificationDate', value: '2025/01/17 15:30:00' },
+      { paramName: 'modificationDate', value: new Date('2025/01/17 15:30:00') },
       { paramName: 'trapped', value: TrappedStatus.TRUE },
       { paramName: 'deleteAll', value: true },
     ] as const)('should update $paramName parameter', ({ paramName, value }) => {
@@ -54,8 +42,8 @@ describe('useChangeMetadataParameters', () => {
       { description: 'has keywords', updates: { keywords: 'test' }, expected: true },
       { description: 'has creator', updates: { creator: 'Test Creator' }, expected: true },
       { description: 'has producer', updates: { producer: 'Test Producer' }, expected: true },
-      { description: 'has creation date', updates: { creationDate: '2025/01/17 14:30:00' }, expected: true },
+      { description: 'has creation date', updates: { creationDate: new Date('2025/01/17 14:30:00') }, expected: true },
-      { description: 'has modification date', updates: { modificationDate: '2025/01/17 14:30:00' }, expected: true },
+      { description: 'has modification date', updates: { modificationDate: new Date('2025/01/17 14:30:00') }, expected: true },
       { description: 'has trapped status', updates: { trapped: TrappedStatus.TRUE }, expected: true },
       { description: 'no meaningful content', updates: {}, expected: false },
       { description: 'whitespace only', updates: { title: '   ', author: '   ' }, expected: false },
@@ -72,11 +60,9 @@ describe('useChangeMetadataParameters', () => {
     });
 
     test.each([
-      { description: 'invalid creation date', updates: { title: 'Test', creationDate: 'invalid-date' }, expected: false },
+      { description: 'valid creation date', updates: { title: 'Test', creationDate: new Date('2025/01/17 14:30:00') }, expected: true },
-      { description: 'invalid modification date', updates: { title: 'Test', modificationDate: 'not-a-date' }, expected: false },
+      { description: 'valid modification date', updates: { title: 'Test', modificationDate: new Date('2025/01/17 14:30:00') }, expected: true },
-      { description: 'valid creation date', updates: { title: 'Test', creationDate: '2025/01/17 14:30:00' }, expected: true },
+      { description: 'empty dates are valid', updates: { title: 'Test', creationDate: null, modificationDate: null }, expected: true },
-      { description: 'valid modification date', updates: { title: 'Test', modificationDate: '2025/01/17 14:30:00' }, expected: true },
-      { description: 'empty dates are valid', updates: { title: 'Test', creationDate: '', modificationDate: '' }, expected: true },
     ])('should validate dates correctly with $description', ({ updates, expected }) => {
       const { result } = renderHook(() => useChangeMetadataParameters());
 

frontend/src/hooks/tools/changeMetadata/useChangeMetadataParameters.ts

@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ export interface ChangeMetadataParameters extends BaseParameters {
   creator: string;
   producer: string;
 
-  // Date fields (format: yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss)
+  // Date fields
-  creationDate: string;
+  creationDate: Date | null;
-  modificationDate: string;
+  modificationDate: Date | null;
 
   // Trapped status
   trapped: TrappedStatus;
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ export const defaultParameters: ChangeMetadataParameters = {
   keywords: '',
   creator: '',
   producer: '',
-  creationDate: '',
+  creationDate: null,
-  modificationDate: '',
+  modificationDate: null,
   trapped: TrappedStatus.UNKNOWN,
   customMetadata: [],
   deleteAll: false,
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ const validateParameters = (params: ChangeMetadataParameters): boolean => {
     || params.keywords.trim()
     || params.creator.trim()
     || params.producer.trim()
-    || params.creationDate.trim()
+    || params.creationDate
-    || params.modificationDate.trim()
+    || params.modificationDate
     || params.trapped !== TrappedStatus.UNKNOWN
   );
 
@@ -66,12 +66,7 @@ const validateParameters = (params: ChangeMetadataParameters): boolean => {
     entry => entry.key.trim() && entry.value.trim()
   );
 
-  // Date validation if provided
+  return hasStandardMetadata || hasCustomMetadata;
-  const datePattern = /^\d{4}\/\d{2}\/\d{2} \d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2}$/;
-  const isValidCreationDate = !params.creationDate.trim() || datePattern.test(params.creationDate);
-  const isValidModificationDate = !params.modificationDate.trim() || datePattern.test(params.modificationDate);
-
-  return (hasStandardMetadata || hasCustomMetadata) && isValidCreationDate && isValidModificationDate;
 };
 
 export type ChangeMetadataParametersHook = BaseParametersHook<ChangeMetadataParameters> & {

frontend/src/hooks/tools/changeMetadata/useMetadataExtraction.ts

@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ export const useMetadataExtraction = (params: MetadataExtractionParams) => {
         params.updateParameter('keywords', metadata.keywords);
         params.updateParameter('creator', metadata.creator);
         params.updateParameter('producer', metadata.producer);
-        params.updateParameter('creationDate', metadata.creationDate);
+        params.updateParameter('creationDate', metadata.creationDate ? new Date(metadata.creationDate) : null);
-        params.updateParameter('modificationDate', metadata.modificationDate);
+        params.updateParameter('modificationDate', metadata.modificationDate ? new Date(metadata.modificationDate) : null);
         params.updateParameter('trapped', metadata.trapped);
         params.updateParameter('customMetadata', metadata.customMetadata);