LARAVEL 5.3 How to store empty DateTime input to Null value instead of 0000:00:00 00:00 value

First you must update the field in the database to accept null values then you can set the field to null while saving.

eg. in your migration file

$table->string('email')->nullable();

and in your controller or model check if the users has completed a value or set to null

hi i had update my database by setting the datetime field to $table->datetime('arriveDateTime')->default(null); $table->datetime('departDateTime ')->default(null);

But it still store 0000:00:00 00:00 value in Database.

How to set the field to null while saving??

Please refer to the documentarion https://laravel.com/docs/5.4/migrations the way that the documentation mentions the null values for a field is as my previous.

propably you have a request object that passed from your view you may use a conditional

$request->arriveDateTime !== null ? mymodel->arriveDateTime = $request->arriveDateTime : mymodel->arriveDateTime=null;

@codermans Okay, you set it to default null but did you make it nullable? If so, please show us a screenshot of your database field with all its settings and your saving lines.

hi, bastman thanks for your help. But i still really don't know how to solve that. Can i send my code to your email so that you can have a look?

you can post here.

copy paste your code inside 3 backticks

put your migration file, your view, your controller and your model.

Migration file:

public function up()
    {
        Schema::create('flightitems', function (Blueprint $table) {
            $table->increments('id');
            $table->datetime('arriveDateTime')->nullable()->default(null);
            $table->datetime('departDateTime')->nullable()->default(null);
            $table->string('destination');
            $table->text('remark')->nullable();
            $table->integer('customers_id')->unsigned();
            $table->foreign('customers_id')->references('id')->on('customers');
            $table->integer('flights_id')->unsigned();
            $table->foreign('flights_id')->references('id')->on('flights');
            $table->timestamps();
        });
    }

Controller for Store function

    public function store(Request $request)
    {
        $rules = array(
            'customer_name' => 'required',
            'arriveDateTime' => 'required_without:departDateTime',
            'departDateTime' => 'required_without:arriveDateTime',
        );
        $messages = array(
            'customer_name.required'=>'Name is required',
            'arriveDateTime.required_without'=>'Arrive DateTime required',
            'departDateTime.required_without'=>'Depart DateTime required',
        );
        
        $validator = Validator::make(Input::all(), $rules, $messages);
                    
        if($validator->fails()){
            return back()->withInput()->withErrors($validator);
        } 
        elseif ($validator->passes()){
            $flight = new Flight;

            if($flight->save()){
                $id = $flight->id;
                foreach($request->customer_name as $key => $v){
                    $data = array('flights_id' => $id,
                                'customers_id' => $v,
                                'arriveDateTime' => date('Y-m-d H:i:s', strtotime($request->arriveDateTime)),
                                'departDateTime' => date('Y-m-d H:i:s', strtotime($request->departDateTime)),
                                'destination' => $request->destination,
                                'remark' => $request->remark,
                    );
                Flightitem::insert($data);
                }
            }
        }
    }

When editing the field in the Structure tab, look for the "NULL" checkbox. Just checked that.

https://i.stack.imgur.com/2Ij08.jpg

You are expecting this; date('Y-m-d H:i:s', strtotime($request->arriveDateTime)) to return null?

Tinker:

>>> date('Y-m-d H:i:s', strtotime(null))
=> "1970-01-01 00:00:00"
>>>

public function up()
    {
        Schema::create('flightitems', function (Blueprint $table) {
            $table->increments('id');
            $table->datetime('arriveDateTime')->nullable();
            $table->datetime('departDateTime')->nullable();
            $table->string('destination');
            $table->text('remark')->nullable();
            $table->integer('customers_id')->unsigned();
            $table->foreign('customers_id')->references('id')->on('customers');
            $table->integer('flights_id')->unsigned();
            $table->foreign('flights_id')->references('id')->on('flights');
            $table->timestamps();
        });
    }

public function store(Request $request)
    {
        $rules = array(
            'customer_name' => 'required',
            'arriveDateTime' => 'required_without:departDateTime',
            'departDateTime' => 'required_without:arriveDateTime',
        );
        $messages = array(
            'customer_name.required'=>'Name is required',
            'arriveDateTime.required_without'=>'Arrive DateTime required',
            'departDateTime.required_without'=>'Depart DateTime required',
        );
        
        $validator = Validator::make(Input::all(), $rules, $messages);
                    
        if($validator->fails()){
            return back()->withInput()->withErrors($validator);
        } 
        elseif ($validator->passes()){
            $flight = new Flight;

            if($flight->save()){
                $id = $flight->id;
                foreach($request->customer_name as $key => $v){
                    $data = array('flights_id' => $id,
                                'customers_id' => $v,
                                'arriveDateTime' => $request->arriveDateTime !== null ? date('Y-m-d H:i:s', strtotime($request->arriveDateTime)) : null,
                                'departDateTime' => $request->departDateTime !== null ? date('Y-m-d H:i:s', strtotime($request->departDateTime)) : null,
                                'destination' => $request->destination,
                                'remark' => $request->remark,
                    );
                Flightitem::insert($data);
                }
            }
        }
    }

you must refresh your migrations first. And better use Carbon for this

date('Y-m-d H:i:s', strtotime($request->arriveDateTime))

@bastman69, the code worked! thanks so much by the way, what does it mean by:

And better use Carbon for this date('Y-m-d H:i:s', strtotime($request->arriveDateTime))

i never try Carbon before