Add hidden date widget that returns the current date

[ghost]

- Do you want to request a feature or report a bug?
Feature

- What is the expected behavior?

Please add hidden functionality to the date widget so that the date of creating the post can be returned without bothering the user.

[erquhart]

This centers around something that sort of happened by mistake imo - the date widget provides a default value that can only be generated by the widget control component while rendered in the editor - we need some way for this to work when hidden.

[johnpuddephatt]

I have the same need – to store the post creation date on the post. Working locally with eleventy I was relying on file creation dates which it will work with but I came across problems they highlight as a common pitfall when working with Netlify – post creation dates end up out of order.

I did think I could just add a datetime widget that defaults to the current time and assume this won't be altered by the author.

However I need the time to be quite accurate (time not just date) and using a datetime widget the time is when the create new post page is opened, not when the post is created.

[henval2020]

any update on this feature/request? I'm having the same need as this one.

[erezrokah]

Hi @henval2020, the best way to move this forward is a contribution.

As a workaround I think one could use the preSave event to manage dates (add an additional key value to the entry with the creation date if doesn't exist, or assume it's an existing entry if it does exist).

[martinjagodic]

This can be achieved with custom widgets, so I'm closing this as not planned.