The value for the date_select_text keyword is the link text which will popup a rather old fashioned Javascript based date picker.
date_select_text
For it to work, you must use Gantry::Plugins::Calendar (but you don't have to use it as a plugin). Further, you must name your form and add this to its extra_keys:
Gantry::Plugins::Calendar
extra_keys
extra_keys javascript => `$self->calendar_month_js( 'your_form_name' )`;
Those steps are rather tedious, so tentmaker does them for you when you enter a value for the date_select_text keyword.
Our current best practice suggestion is to use a Javascript framework like Yahoo's UI or JQuery. Both of those, and many similar frameworks, have more modern and usable date pickers along with a wealth of other gadgets.
To see an example, build:
bigtop -c example.bigtop all
Change to the newly created Kids directory, start the app server, and add a child. When you press 'Select Date', a box should popup. Click on a date to fill in the field and close the popup.
To see the code, look in lib/Kids/GEN/Child.pm. Note the use of the Calendar plugin, the naming of the form, and the Javascript.
To install Bigtop, copy and paste the appropriate command in to your terminal.
cpanm
cpanm Bigtop
CPAN shell
perl -MCPAN -e shell install Bigtop
For more information on module installation, please visit the detailed CPAN module installation guide.