Wishlist: Check In Effective Date setting could be sticky for session

[Jennifer Bruch]

Version 3.3

As PaILS prepares for post COVID check ins and staff discusses the possible need for daily back dating for a period of weeks or months.

We realized it would be nice if the Effective Date at the Check In had an option to be sticky for the login session, much like Check Out Due Date Change does.

Currently, it is very easy for the Effective Date to be lost as staff navigate to patrons screens etc. Then when they go back to Check In they could forget to put it back on over the course of a full day and several weeks.

[Dan Briem (dbriem)]

Our staff also expressed interest.

This is one approach: https://git.evergreen-ils.org/?p=working/Evergreen.git;a=shortlog;h=refs/heads/user/dbriem/lp1880028_backdate_checkins_sticky_option

It uses a checkbox (only visible if a valid backdate is entered) to control if the backdate should be effective until logout and it saves the backdate as a session item. The session item is removed when the checkbox is unchecked or an invalid backdate is entered. This only applies to the Checkin screen - it won't use the session backdate on the Capture Holds screen (because the backdate interface isn't used in that mode).

Also, it adjusts the is_backdate() check so that it doesn't consider null or undefined as valid backdates (gives more accurate backdate alerts) and it uses a time of 00:00:00 for the current date and backdate to avoid the situation where the Clear button clears the time component and you end up with the Today button causing a backdate alert because it's time is earlier than the current date object used for comparisons.

[Ruth Frasur Davis (redavis)]

I have tested this code and consent to signing off on it with my name, rfrasur, and my email address, <email address hidden>.

[Dawn Dale (ddale)]

I have tested this patch and confirm that is works. I am signing off with my name, Dawn Dale and my email, <email address hidden>

[Jason Boyer (jboyer)]

Pushed to master for inclusion in 3.6; thanks Dan, Ruth, and Dawn!