added ignore_datetime_restriction_errors class option and docs

bit more for chronic parser

README

@@ -240,17 +240,39 @@ an example of using Chronis instead. Put this into a file in the lib directory.
   class ActiveRecord::Base
   
     def self.parse_date_time_with_chronic(raw_value, type, strict=true)
-      # You can ignore type and strict with Chronic
-      Chronic.parse(raw_value)
+      # you can ignore strict with Chronic
       
-    # You could also fallback to normal plugin with
-    #rescue
-    #  parse_date_time_without_chronic
+      # Times without meridian are assumed to be in 24 hour format
+      options = { :ambiguous_time_range => :none }
+      
+      # Attribute of type :time will have a dummy date of 2000-01-01 which is
+      # per Rails convention
+      options[:now] = Time.local(2000, 1, 1) if type == :time
+      Chronic.parse(raw_value)
     end
-    alias_method_chain :parse_date_time, :chronic
 
   end
-  
+
+=== TEMPORAL RESTRICTION ERRORS
+
+When using the validation temporal options there are times when the restriction
+value itself may be invalid. Normally this will add an error to the model such as
+'restriction :before value was invalid'. These can be annoying if you are using 
+other attributes in the model as restrictions, since hopefully those attributes
+used are also validated and will have errors themselves which will stop the 
+record from saving. In these situations you turn them off.
+
+To turn them off globally:
+
+  ActiveRecord::Base.ignore_datetime_restriction_errors = true
+
+To switch them on or off per model:
+
+  class Person < ActiveRecord::Base
+    self.ignore_datetime_restriction_errors = false
+  end
+
+
 == CREDITS:
 
 * Adam Meehan (adam.meehan@gmail.com, http://duckpunching.com/)

lib/validates_timeliness/validations.rb

@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
     # Error messages added to AR defaults to allow global override.  
     def self.included(base)
       base.extend ClassMethods
+      base.class_inheritable_accessor :ignore_datetime_restriction_errors
+      base.ignore_datetime_restriction_errors = false
       
       error_messages = {
         :invalid_datetime => "is not a valid %s",
@@ -105,9 +107,9 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
       
      private
       
-      # Validate value against the restrictions. Restriction values maybe of 
-      # mixed type so evaluate them and convert them all to common type as
-      # defined by type param.
+      # Validate value against the temoSpral restrictions. Restriction values 
+      # maybe of mixed type, so the are evaluated as a common type, which may
+      # require conversion. The type used is defined by validation type.
       def validate_timeliness_restrictions(record, attr_name, value, configuration)
         restriction_methods = {:before => '<', :after => '>', :on_or_before => '<=', :on_or_after => '>='}
         
@@ -138,7 +140,7 @@ module ValidatesTimeliness
             compare = compare.send(conversion_method)
             record.errors.add(attr_name, configuration["#{option}_message".to_sym] % compare) unless value.send(method, compare)
           rescue
-            record.errors.add(attr_name, "restriction '#{option}' value was invalid")
+            record.errors.add(attr_name, "restriction '#{option}' value was invalid") unless self.ignore_datetime_restriction_errors
           end
         end
       end

spec/validations_spec.rb

@@ -297,7 +297,6 @@ describe ValidatesTimeliness::Validations do
     end 
   end
   
-  
   describe "with mixed value and restriction types" do
     before :all do
       class MixedBeforeAndAfter < Person
@@ -340,5 +339,23 @@ describe ValidatesTimeliness::Validations do
       @person.errors.on(:birth_date).should match(/must be on or after/)
     end
 
-  end  
+  end
+  
+  describe "ignoring rstriction errors" do
+    before :all do
+      class BadRestriction < Person        
+        validates_date :birth_date, :before => Proc.new { raise }
+        self.ignore_datetime_restriction_errors = true
+      end
+    end
+    
+    before :each do
+      @person = BadRestriction.new
+    end
+    
+    it "should have no errors when restriction is invalid" do
+      @person.birth_date = '1950-01-01'
+      @person.should be_valid
+    end
+  end
 end