Option to convert dates (also convert back to ISO in ParseJson)

[jonadv]

Added an additional user option that lets the user choose if dates should be converted to UTC. Right now, dates are only converted when calling JsonConverter.ConvertToJSON. But not when JsonConverter.ParseJson is called. In addition to the my previous pull request, which fixes the latter, this adds an option to turn it on for both (default, false) or keep the date times as they are.

[jonadv]

I forgot to add JsonOptions where the new boolean option is used. Should be JsonOptions.DontConvertDates

[Nick-vanGemeren]

Some comments IMHO:

ConvertToJson

Case VBA.vbDate
        ' Date
        If Not DontConvertDates Then
            json_DateStr = ConvertToIso(VBA.CDate(JsonValue))
        Else
            json_DateStr = VBA.CDate(JsonValue)
        End If
        ConvertToJson = """" & json_DateStr & """"

• TheCDatecalls (also in the base version) are redundant. ThisCasesection is specifically for Datedata type.
• The new option will convertJsonValueto a local (regionalised) date string such as “05/26/2022 6:16:10 PM”, which is not at all ISO8601-compliant and won’t be recognised byParseJSONif reloaded.
• TheDatedata type is a 64-bit floating point number. So it has to be converted to a string representing a portable date-time. ISO8601 strings fit the bill.
• An alternative to the ‘Z’ string would be one showing local time with the time zone offset, e.g. ”26-05-2022T18:16:10+01:00” (slightly longer than necessary but acceptable to the currentParseISO). That option would be a change toConvertToIsoin VBA-UTC.
• If you really want the regionalised date, you should add it as a separateStringfield to your data structure before callingConvertToJson.

ParseJSON
I agree with the principle that, within reason, reloaded data structures (byParseJSON) should be close to the ones exported (byConvertToJson). The current version reloads dates to ‘Z’ ISO strings. But we need to be careful about JSON objects (Dictionary) since keys areString. I would prefer to keep incoming ISO8601 keys intact, especially if we add millisecond support to VBA-UTC.

    If Not DontConvertDates Then _
        If json_ParseString Like "####-##-##T##:##:##.###Z" Then _
            json_ParseString = ParseIso(json_ParseString)

• json_ParseStringreturns aString. So theDatefromParseISOwill be reconverted to a regionalised dateString. not aDate.
• The recognition test is a bit restrictive and won’t allow other reasonable ISO8601 strings from external sources (or changes toConvertToIso).
• To convert values but not keys, this code should be moved intojson_ParseValuejust after thejson_ParseStringcall.
• I would prefer a positive option name: LocaliseISOdates ?

So something like:

    Case """", "'"
        json_ParseValue = json_ParseString(json_String, json_Index)
        If JsonOptions.LocaliseISOdates And json_ParseValue Like "####-##-##T##:##*" Then
            json_ParseValue = ParseIso(json_ParseValue & "")
          End If

Hope that helps.

I’m a GitHub newbie. This may have been the wrong place to post. Apologies if so.

[hecon5]

I would prefer a positive option name: LocaliseISOdates ?

FWIW, using a negative in this case allows for it to be the default action because of how JSONOptions initializes (booleans initiate to False).