Set a date field example

Here's an export of a test rule that just times out

uuid: 1773974c-4515-4efa-84ce-97ccbecfa198
langcode: en
status: true
dependencies: { }
id: test1
label: test1
events:
-
event_name: 'rules_entity_presave:node--job'
description: ''
tags: { }
config_version: '3'
expression:
id: rules_rule
uuid: f87f1be1-87e4-4afa-a1bc-319c4d00ed9d
weight: 0
conditions:
id: rules_and
uuid: 2dad0d04-a038-4a52-aa8d-4a8748574ee1
weight: 0
conditions:
-
id: rules_condition
uuid: c6123b02-a589-4de1-93df-1036a743372f
weight: 0
condition_id: rules_entity_is_of_bundle
negate: false
context_values:
type: node
bundle: job
context_mapping:
entity: node
context_processors:
type:
rules_tokens: { }
bundle:
rules_tokens: { }
provides_mapping: { }
actions:
id: rules_action_set
uuid: 91e1cde3-aa98-4642-98bc-6374b0976006
weight: 0
actions:
-
id: rules_action
uuid: ca2d3735-fffb-4bdc-8a11-9bcc7bb686ee
weight: 0
action_id: rules_system_message
context_values:
message: hi
type: status
repeat: false
context_mapping: { }
context_processors:
message:
rules_tokens: { }
type:
rules_tokens: { }
repeat:
rules_tokens: { }
provides_mapping: { }
-
id: rules_action
uuid: f9ffdc4a-b1e0-41a5-ab8a-77f023694d23
weight: 0
action_id: rules_data_set
context_values:
value: '2020-11-12 08:00:00'
context_mapping:
data: node.field_approval_date.value
context_processors:
value:
rules_tokens: { }
provides_mapping: { }

Trial and error and using a site message reveals that you should surround the token with brackets
{{@rules.current_date_context:current_date}}
and that returns a Unix timestamp for now.

Rule still crashes if you try to set a date with that.

For anyone else having troubles figuring this out. The Date/Time field is saved in this format: 2024-01-20T07:01:53

To get it to work, for me, I had to set up a Date Format in Configuration > Region and language > Date and time formats

I set the Name to 'Rules Format' and the Format String to 'Y-m-d\Th:m:s'

In the Rules Actions, 'Add action' of 'Set a Data Value'

Use the Data selector to pick your Entity and add a period '.' to get your field to show. Example: wo_time_clock_created.field_start_time

In the Value field, as described above, enter the token with brackets. Just add your new Date Format.

{{@rules.current_date_context:current_date | format_date('rules_format')}}

I am sure there may be a better way to do it but I got it to work. The documentation about this sure needs some help.

Ok, I think I may have finally figured it out. The Rules CurrentDateContext.php is saving the DateTime in your current timezone and not in a UTC without applying the Mountain Time (or any other specific timezone) adjustment.

So I hacked the code, with a little trial and error I got the following to work...

namespace Drupal\rules\ContextProvider;

use Drupal\Component\Datetime\TimeInterface;
use Drupal\Core\Plugin\Context\Context;
use Drupal\Core\Plugin\Context\ContextDefinition;
use Drupal\Core\Plugin\Context\ContextProviderInterface;
use Drupal\Core\StringTranslation\StringTranslationTrait;
use Drupal\Core\Datetime\DrupalDateTime;

class CurrentDateContext implements ContextProviderInterface {
  use StringTranslationTrait;

  protected $datetime;

  public function __construct(TimeInterface $datetime) {
    $this->datetime = $datetime;
  }

  public function getRuntimeContexts(array $unqualified_context_ids) {
    // Get the current Unix timestamp
    $timestamp = $this->datetime->getCurrentTime();

    // Create a DrupalDateTime object from the timestamp in UTC
    $dateTime = DrupalDateTime::createFromTimestamp($timestamp, new \DateTimeZone('UTC'));

    // Format the DateTime object to an ISO 8601 string in UTC
    $formattedDateTime = $dateTime->format('Y-m-d\TH:i:s');

    // Create the context with the formatted date time in UTC
    $context_definition = new ContextDefinition('string', $this->t('Current UTC date'));
    $context = new Context($context_definition, $formattedDateTime);

    $result = [
      'current_date' => $context,
    ];

    return $result;
  }

  /**
   * {@inheritdoc}
   */
  public function getAvailableContexts() {
    return $this->getRuntimeContexts([]);
  }

}

I am just useful enough to get myself in trouble. So creating a patch is above me. I hope someone can make that happen. I will check back and create a new issue that is more direct if I need to.