ASP.net MVC Data Annotations DateTime Default Value

Question

In my view model i have the following attribute:

 [Required]
 [DataType(DataType.Date, ErrorMessage="Please enter a valid date in the format dd/mm/yyyy")]
 [Display(Name = "Date of Birth")]
 public DateTime DOB { get; set; }

In my view i have the following:

<div class="editor-label">
    @Html.LabelFor(model => model.DOB)
</div>
<div class="editor-field">
    @Html.EditorFor(model => model.DOB)
    @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.DOB)
</div>

Before submitting the form the default value for DOB is 1/01/0001 how do i stop this value being auto populated, i simply want an empty field when people visit this form?

Answer 1

I believe you will have to use the nullable DateTime? type. DateTime cannot be null thus it will always have a value.

Answer 2

Try making the DOB DateTime nullable like @Mayo states:

public DateTime? DOB { get; set; }

Answer 3

DateTime is of type struct. So, by default DateTime cannot be null. It has default value equal to '01/01/0001'. Solution to your problem is to use the nullable DateTime? type. If you want it to default to some value like '01/01/2014', then you can assign value like: DOB = new DateTime(2014, 01, 01);