Add "object" date format.

This is so that one can easily get a DateTime object for a date value,
rather than a string.

lib/Bric/Changes.pod

@@ -1475,6 +1475,18 @@ Sources Manager). [David]
 
 =back
 
+=head2 Improvements
+
+=over
+
+=item *
+
+Added the "object" format for datetime values. Pass "object" as the formatting
+string and a L<DateTime> object will be returned, rather than a string.
+[David]
+
+=back
+
 =head1 VERSION 1.10.10 (2010-04-11)
 
 =head2 Improvements

lib/Bric/Util/Time.pm

@@ -200,10 +200,11 @@ Takes a date/time string formatted for the database, converts it to the time
 zone set in the "Time Zone" preference, and returns it in the C<strftime>
 format provided by C<$format>. If C<$format> is not provided, the date/time
 will be returned in the format set in the "Date/Time Format" preference. If
-C<$format> is 'epoch', it will return the time in epoch seconds. If
-C<$db_date> is not provided and C<$bool> is false, then C<local_date()>
-returns C<undef>. If C<$db_date> is not provided and C<$bool> is true, then
-C<local_date()> returns the current date/time.
+C<$format> is 'epoch', it will return the time in epoch seconds. If C<$format>
+is 'object', it will return a L<DateTime> object. If C<$db_date> is not
+provided and C<$bool> is false, then C<local_date()> returns C<undef>. If
+C<$db_date> is not provided and C<$bool> is true, then C<local_date()> returns
+the current date/time.
 
 Use this function in Bricolage accessor methods to return a localized
 date/time string.
@@ -234,8 +235,11 @@ sub local_date {
     $format ||= Bric::Util::Pref->lookup_val('Date/Time Format');
     my $dt = $db_date ? db_datetime($db_date) : DateTime->now;
     $dt->set_time_zone(Bric::Util::Pref->lookup_val('Time Zone'));
-    return $format eq 'epoch' ? $dt->epoch : $dt->strftime($format);
-} # strfdate()
+    return $dt if $format eq 'object';
+    return $format eq 'epoch'  ? $dt->epoch
+         : $format eq 'object' ? $dt
+                               : $dt->strftime($format);
+}
 
 ##############################################################################
 

t/Bric/Util/Time/DevTest.pm

@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ sub test_strfdate : Test(5) {
 
 ##############################################################################
 # Test local_date().
-sub test_local_date : Test(6) {
+sub test_local_date : Test(7) {
     is( local_date($utc_date), $local_date,
         "Check local date is '$local_date'" );
     is( local_date($utc_iso_short_date), $local_date,
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ sub test_local_date : Test(6) {
     is( local_date($utc_iso_date, 'epoch'), $epoch,
         "Check that local date is '$epoch'" );
 
+    # Try the "object" format.
+    isa_ok local_date($utc_iso_date, 'object'), 'DateTime',
+        'Should get DateTime object for "object" format';
+
     # Check the local date with a known format argument.
     my $current = DateTime->now(time_zone => $tz)->strftime(ISO_8601_FORMAT);
     is( local_date(undef, ISO_8601_FORMAT, 1), $current,