Create filter / macro for outputting dates

[edwardhorsford]

GOV.UK has a specific date format to use - let's make a filter / macro that outputs a nice GDS styled date.

A typical date would be: 3 February 1990

• no leading zero on day of month
• no rd or similar after day of month
• month name spelt out in full.

Ref: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style#dates

[paulmsmith]

PR made: #171 Let me know what you think. :)

[paulmsmith]

I've updated my PR to actually remove my initial formatDate filter after discussion with @joelanman. I think its correct we have one PR to formalise how we're adding filters and custom filters to the kit, and then use that as a basis for doing PR's with proposed custom filters (such as outputting formatted dates) should we find there is a user need.

[joelanman]

thinking of closing this - is this definitely a common need?

[edwardhorsford]

I feel like nearly every prototype I've made has needed a GOV.UK styled date. I presume others the same. I might question whether a filter would get used though - we have an issue with discoverability.

[joelanman]

what kind of situation would a filter have been useful? I haven't had to deal with many dates in my prototypes

[edwardhorsford]

Many services will ask for dates of birth. Those dates will need to be displayed in a GOV.UK format on the check your answers page.

[paulmsmith]

I've had to deal with dates in many of my prototypes and have used filters for displaying them in the correct format.

This would get my vote.

[NickColley]

Since this issue has not seen activity for a while and there does not seem to be a clear need, I'm going to close this out for now and we can re-open if we see something come up.

Thanks everyone.