how to disable dates before today in jQuery datepicker

While I agree that it's weird behavior, you might be able to fake it using the onSelect event of the datepicker.

$(document).ready(function() {
    $('#Date').datepicker({
        onSelect: function(dateText, inst) {
            //Get today's date at midnight
            var today = new Date();
            today = Date.parse(today.getMonth()+1+'/'+today.getDate()+'/'+today.getFullYear());
            //Get the selected date (also at midnight)
            var selDate = Date.parse(dateText);

            if(selDate < today) {
                //If the selected date was before today, continue to show the datepicker
                $('#Date').val('');
                $(inst).datepicker('show');
            }
        }
    });
});

Basically, you handle the onSelect event.

When a date is selected, check to see if it's before today's date.

If it is, then you immediately show the datepicker again and clear out the input box attached to it.

---

Updated Code sample is now completely functional. Here's a jsfiddle to demonstrate.

Hope this is still helpful to someone. My solution is to place checks on individual dates like this:

$("#StartDate").datepicker({ dateFormat: 'yy-mm-dd',  beforeShowDay: NotBeforeToday});



function NotBeforeToday(date)
{
    var now = new Date();//this gets the current date and time
    if (date.getFullYear() == now.getFullYear() && date.getMonth() == now.getMonth() && date.getDate() > now.getDate())
        return [true];
    if (date.getFullYear() >= now.getFullYear() && date.getMonth() > now.getMonth())
       return [true];
     if (date.getFullYear() > now.getFullYear())
       return [true];
    return [false];
}

I find it simple and elegant

simplest solution could....

<script type="text/javascript">$('#date').datepicker({ minDate: 0 });</script>