Inserting dates

[emil.sp]

Hi, guys!

I'm wondering what is the best way for users to insert some date? No matter birthday, appointment date, whatever...
There are a few ways I know:
1. A single text field and pointed format next to it,
Sometimes confusing but maybe still the best way
2. Three text fields - one for day, one for month, one for year(day/month can be combos)
A made a research and this is the way that most visited web sites use.
3. Date-time picker control
The most intiutive and easy-to-use way for users, but hard to implement - web browser compatability...

What is your opinion?
Please mind that I talk about multilanguage web sites. Different countries get used to insert dates in different way - dd/mm/yyyy, mm/dd/yyyy, etc.

[LazyJim]

Good question, frequently an issue with forms on-line (or offline when you don't knowwho'll be using it).

You've correctly noted different customs from different people change the format they expect and of course they might not read you're instructions.

The annoying part is for some dates it is impossible to validate! (Concequences depend of the use for the data though).

Date-time picker control
not sure what you mean, - 3 selection-boxes or pop-up calender date interface?

Today I'm thinking 3 text-boxes in a row, individually labeled, with optional DHTML pop-up date picker.

Whatever you try, use a validation routine that checks for the correct order when a day above 12 is used, this way for those dates you can see if people are getting it wrong or not to indicate whether your interface seems to work or not.

[emil.sp]

With date-time picker I mean pop-up calendar.

I think that the annoying part is that while using 3 text boxes users have to click/tab on every text box - that makes 3 clicks/key presses. That's one of the reasons I don't like combo boxes.
But I think that you are write about the 3 text boxes. Users are used to this because of sites like yahoo and they will expect such interface in the other web sites they are visiting.

Validation will not be a problem while I'm using ASP.NET DateTime.Parse() method.

[LazyJim]

Great, and sounds like I don't need to remind you to set up the tab order.

As for d/m/y vs m/d/y I would use d/m/y as it is the most logical going from smallest denomination to largest.

[cashcannon]

I thought year/month/day was the official order

[chicgeek]

There are different standards.

yy/mm/dd is great for ordering for obvious reasons.
mm/dd/yy is most familiar to many people because it follows our speech semantics.
dd/mm/yy is also used, but I don't like it.

[LazyJim]

I like y-m-d as said for the obvious reasons, but is it right to expect the general public to put this into a textbox?

[emil.sp]

of course not...
As I said different countries get used to insert dates in different way.
Finally I solve my problem by using Ajax-based datetime picker: