Variable: org-read-date-force-compatible-dates

org-read-date-force-compatible-dates is a customizable variable defined in org.el.gz.

Value

t

Documentation

Should date/time prompt force dates that are guaranteed to work in Emacs?

Depending on the system Emacs is running on, certain dates cannot be represented with the type used internally to represent time. Dates between 1970-1-1 and 2038-1-1 can always be represented correctly. Some systems allow for earlier dates, some for later, some for both. One way to find out is to insert any date into an Org buffer, putting the cursor on the year and hitting S-up and S-down to test the range.

When this variable is set to t, the date/time prompt will not let you specify dates outside the 1970-2037 range, so it is certain that these dates will work in whatever version of Emacs you are running, and also that you can move a file from one Emacs implementation to another. Whenever Org is forcing the year for you, it will display a message and beep.

When this variable is nil, Org will check if the date is representable in the specific Emacs implementation you are using. If not, it will force a year, usually the current year, and beep to remind you. Currently this setting is not recommended because the likelihood that you will open your Org files in an Emacs that has limited date range is not negligible.

A workaround for this problem is to use diary sexp dates for time stamps outside of this range.

This variable was added, or its default value changed, in Emacs 24.1.

Source Code

;; Defined in /usr/src/emacs/lisp/org/org.el.gz
(defcustom org-read-date-force-compatible-dates t
  "Should date/time prompt force dates that are guaranteed to work in Emacs?

Depending on the system Emacs is running on, certain dates cannot
be represented with the type used internally to represent time.
Dates between 1970-1-1 and 2038-1-1 can always be represented
correctly.  Some systems allow for earlier dates, some for later,
some for both.  One way to find out is to insert any date into an
Org buffer, putting the cursor on the year and hitting S-up and
S-down to test the range.

When this variable is set to t, the date/time prompt will not let
you specify dates outside the 1970-2037 range, so it is certain that
these dates will work in whatever version of Emacs you are
running, and also that you can move a file from one Emacs implementation
to another.  Whenever Org is forcing the year for you, it will display
a message and beep.

When this variable is nil, Org will check if the date is
representable in the specific Emacs implementation you are using.
If not, it will force a year, usually the current year, and beep
to remind you.  Currently this setting is not recommended because
the likelihood that you will open your Org files in an Emacs that
has limited date range is not negligible.

A workaround for this problem is to use diary sexp dates for time
stamps outside of this range."
  :group 'org-time
  :version "24.1"
  :type 'boolean)