JSON.stringify returns different values for dates

Question

i'm needing my json.stringify method to return me something like this:

//The code below is the same as JSON.stringify(new Date());
console.log(new Date().toJSON());

This returns me the following:

"/Date(1373046760480-0300)/"

which is fine, but it happens in certain scenarios that the same operation returns me this:

"2013-07-05T17:52:55.434Z"

which is not the expected result, and then i have to create string to have the expected result.

Does anybody know why this happens?

What circumstances? As far as I can tell, it always returns the latter string. — lonesomeday
– lonesomeday, Commented Jul 5, 2013 at 18:02
??? In what scenario in what browser do you ever get the first string? — Michael Berkowski
– Michael Berkowski, Commented Jul 5, 2013 at 18:02
For me console.log(new Date().toJSON()) returns "2013-07-05T18:05:10.600Z" in Chrome and Firefox — Oleksii Aza
– Oleksii Aza, Commented Jul 5, 2013 at 18:06
According to the specification, toJSON should call toISOString (es5.github.io/#x15.9.5.44). — Felix Kling
– Felix Kling, Commented Jul 5, 2013 at 18:08

Kamyar Nazeri · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-05 18:11:28Z

4

Unless someone accidentally (by using third party library) overwrites Date.prototype.toJSON the default output of JSON date is the latter:

Here's what could be (a non-standard implementation used by asp.net)

Date.prototype.toJSON = function(){ return "/Date(" + this.getTime() + ")/" }

answered Jul 5, 2013 at 18:11

Kamyar Nazeri

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1 Comment

That is the case, the sencha framework does this... thanks i started thinking my knowledge of dates in js was rusty!