# Combining Date + Time Picker into Single DateTime Tag — iPad Usability Help (Ignition 8.1.26)

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/combining-date-time-picker-into-single-datetime-tag-ipad-usability-help-ignition-8-1-26/108421>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Tags:** perspective, ignition81\
**Created:** [July 14, 2025, 4:13am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/combining-date-time-picker-into-single-datetime-tag-ipad-usability-help-ignition-8-1-26/108421 "2025-07-14T04:13:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Anthony\_Ortiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Anthony\_Ortiz](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Anthony_Ortiz)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2025, 4:13am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/combining-date-time-picker-into-single-datetime-tag-ipad-usability-help-ignition-8-1-26/108421/1 "2025-07-14T04:13:47Z")

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Hi everyone,

We’re building a multi-page **defect entry form** in Perspective (Ignition 8.1.26), designed for use on **iPads and thin clients** in a manufacturing setting.

One of the fields requires the operator to specify a **production DateTime** (exact date and time a defect occurred). This value is bound to a tag:  
`[BIB_DefectData]FormData/Production_DateTime` (DataType: `DateTime`)

* * *

What We've Tried So Far:

1. **Single DateTime Picker**

- Useable, but not user-friendly on iPad
- Time selector is too small and not obvious
- Doesn't always allow time change on the first click to edit.

1. **Split into Two Pickers** :

- `Dpk_Date` → Date Picker
- `Tpk_Time` → Time Picker
- This increased required footprint.
- Then, used `onActionPerformed` scripting to combine them into a custom property (`Prod_DateTime`), and wrote that to the tag.
- Lots of copy-paste drift and inherited `onAction` configs caused event scope issues
- Lost track of which script was triggering what
- The Time Picker started throwing `NoneType` errors because of bad container pathing
- Ultimately had to scrap and restart

* * *

### ✅ What We Want Now

We’re looking for **a clean, stable solution** that works reliably in Perspective app on iPads and ThinClients but also in browsers:

- Accept **both date and time input**
- Show clear **UI feedback** (including current selected datetime)
- Allow **easy touch input** for operators (no hidden AM/PM dropdowns or on-screen keyboard overlap)
- **Write the combined DateTime value** to the tag `[BIB_DefectData]FormData/Production_DateTime`
- Bonus: Live update of tag whenever either value changes

* * *

### 💡 Questions:

- Has anyone solved this cleanly using **custom properties and bindings only** , without relying on button scripts?
- Is there a better approach than splitting into Date + Time components?
- Is it possible to **replace or extend the Time Picker UI** to be more touch-friendly?
- Would a custom component or third-party approach help here?
- I was thinking maybe using a button and then performing this in a popup screen.

Thanks in advance for any help. I’m happy to share more screenshots or layout if needed.

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