Edit created and modified date

[suntrop]

Currently there is no way for an editor to change those fields. Both are static. Even from the API.

But sometimes – especially when using a news site or some kind of blog – you have to use those fields a lot.

It would be nice if the fields become editable, so you can change the creation date for example.

[SiNNuT]

Think of these as 'system' values. You only create a page once, this value never changes. Same with modified.

On top of that you can add as many date time (or time) fields you want, like, 'created_date', 'publish_date', 'unpublish_date' etc.

[Nico Knoll]

I know this question. It's a little bit hacky but this should work: https://processwire.com/talk/topic/651-set-created-by-creating-a-page-via-api/#entry5293

Edit:

$sql = "UPDATE `pages` SET `created` = '".date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $data['crdate'])."', `modified` = '".date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $data['tstamp'])."' WHERE `name` = '".$page->name."';";

$update = wire('db')->query($sql);

[suntrop]

I thought it would be nice not to have two fields with the same function. It adds more work at the end.

[Soma]

See them as "not" fields but a system property that is consistent with when a user edited or created a page that never changes. Don't try to use this as the article created or modified, instead I advise to use custom datetime fields.

This makes sure you get a "real" creation and modified date you can rely on for maintenance or rechecking what happened when and so on. Many times this can be good to have. Adding custom date fields for the editor is then only used for output.

[kixe]

Consider that users, templates, permissions roles etc. are in fact also pages. Not a good idea to give editors the possibiliy to mess up this.
Follow Somas recommendation and build some additional custom datetime fields.
If you need the original values as initial value, you could do this in your template

$page->of(false);
$page->set('CustomFieldModified', $page->modified);
$page->set('CustomFieldCreated', $page->created);
$page->save();

echo $page->CustomFieldCreated;

[Nico Knoll]

@kixe: Maybe add check to prevent that this will be overwritten.

$page->of(false);
if($page->CustomFieldModified == '') $page->set('CustomFieldModified', $page->modified);
if($page->CustomFieldCreated == '') $page->set('CustomFieldCreated', $page->created);
$page->save();

[kixe]

@Nico
yes you are right, otherwise it is nonsense. Pretty sure I will never use it ...

[saml]

I realize setting the created date programmatically is very important when migrating content from an old site (I do that now, from drupal). 

I would very much be able to do that at least from the API. So, is SQL the only option?

[adrian]

I realize setting the created date programmatically is very important when migrating content from an old site (I do that now, from drupal). 

I would very much be able to do that at least from the API. So, is SQL the only option?

There is an option for changing the "created" date via the API using quiet mode:

$page->created = $timestamp
$page->save(array('quiet' => true));

This only works for created though, not modified. This is what I use for modified - make sure you do this after the last $page->save() or it will be overwritten.

$sql = "UPDATE `pages` SET `modified` = '".date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $timestamp)."' WHERE `id` = '".$page->id."';";
$update = wire('db')->query($sql);