--- loncom/interface/lonhtmlcommon.pm	2004/01/01 20:13:17	1.38
+++ loncom/interface/lonhtmlcommon.pm	2004/01/02 16:34:03	1.39
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 # a pile of common html routines
 #
-# $Id: lonhtmlcommon.pm,v 1.38 2004/01/01 20:13:17 www Exp $
+# $Id: lonhtmlcommon.pm,v 1.39 2004/01/02 16:34:03 www Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -142,14 +142,21 @@ The method used to restrict user input w
 ##############################################
 ##############################################
 sub date_setter {
-    my ($formname,$dname,$currentvalue,$special) = @_;
+    my ($formname,$dname,$currentvalue,$special,$includeempty) = @_;
     if (! defined($currentvalue) || $currentvalue eq 'now') {
-        $currentvalue = time;
+	unless ($includeempty) {
+	    $currentvalue = time;
+	} else {
+	    $currentvalue = 0;
+	}
     }
     # other potentially useful values:     wkday,yrday,is_daylight_savings
-    my ($sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$month,$year,undef,undef,undef) = 
-        localtime($currentvalue);
-    $year += 1900;
+    my ($sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$month,$year)=('','','','','','');
+    if ($currentvalue) {
+	($sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$month,$year,undef,undef,undef) = 
+	    localtime($currentvalue);
+	$year += 1900;
+    }
     my $result = "\n<!-- $dname date setting form -->\n";
     $result .= <<ENDJS;
 <script language="Javascript">
@@ -201,9 +208,10 @@ ENDJS
                     July    August    September October November December/;
     # Pad @Months with a bogus value to make indexing easier
     unshift(@Months,'If you can read this an error occurred');
+    if ($includeempty) { $result.="<option value=''></option>"; }
     for(my $m = 1;$m <=$#Months;$m++) {
         $result .= "      <option value=\"$m\" ";
-        $result .= "selected " if ($m-1 == $month);
+        $result .= "selected " if ($m-1 eq $month);
         $result .= "> ".&mt($Months[$m])." </option>\n";
     }
     $result .= "  </select>\n";
@@ -215,6 +223,7 @@ ENDJS
             "onChange=\"javascript:$dname\_checkday()\" />\n";
     $result .= "&nbsp;&nbsp;";
     $result .= "  <select name=\"$dname\_hour\" ".$special." >\n";
+    if ($includeempty) { $result.="<option value=''></option>"; }
     for (my $h = 0;$h<24;$h++) {
         $result .= "      <option value=\"$h\" ";
         $result .= "selected " if ($hour == $h);