Error while setting postDate and expiryDate (Object of class DateTime could not be converted to string) on Craft 3.7/FeedMe 4.5

[luke-nehemedia]

Description

I import a table from Google sheets that has 4 columns: ID (not a craft-id, just an increasing integer), Startdate (Format: dd/mm/yy), Text, Enddate (same format). After running without any problems for about a year now, it suddenly does not work anymore.

I get the error-message:

Starting processing of node #29.
Match existing element with data {"slug":"394"}
Data ready to import {"title":"394","slug":"394","postDate":"2023-01-28T23:00:00.000000Z","expiryDate":"2023-01-29T23:00:00.000000Z","enabled":true,"datum":"2023-01-28T23:00:00.000000Z","text":"Some short text"}.
Object of class DateTime could not be converted to string - 3641473fa3f8fb2ada8f0c73452aa78b.php: 38

It seems like all the data has been detected correctly. However, something must go wrong while creating the entry.
Interestingly, an update of an already existing entry does work:

Starting processing of node #28.
Match existing element with data {"slug":"393"}.
Existing element [#328064] found.
Data to update for title: "393".
Data to update for slug: "393".
Data to update for postDate: "2023-01-27 23:00:00".
Data to update for expiryDate: "2023-01-28 23:00:00"
Data to update for enabled: true
Data ready to import {"title":"393","slug":"393","postDate":"2023-01-27T23:00:00.000000Z","expiryDate":"2023-01-28T23:00:00.000000Z","enabled":true,"datum":"2023-01-27T23:00:00.000000Z","text":"Some short text"}.
Entry [#328064] updated successfully.
Finished processing of node #28.

Maybe this is also more craft-related than feedme-related. I am not sure.

When running the debug mode, I get the following:

Error: Object of class DateTime could not be converted to string in craft3/storage/runtime/compiled_templates/36/3641473fa3f8fb2ada8f0c73452aa78b.php:38
Stack trace:
#0 craft3/vendor/twig/twig/src/Template.php(405): __TwigTemplate_9312ca7f215c07669530cf34f5b9bdf2->doDisplay()
#1 /craft3/vendor/twig/twig/src/Template.php(378): Twig\Template->displayWithErrorHandling()
#2 /craft3/vendor/twig/twig/src/Template.php(390): Twig\Template->display()
#3 /craft3/vendor/twig/twig/src/TemplateWrapper.php(45): Twig\Template->render()
#4 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/cms/src/web/View.php(623): Twig\TemplateWrapper->render()
#5 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/cms/src/elements/Entry.php(1534): craft\web\View->renderObjectTemplate()
#6 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/cms/src/elements/Entry.php(1625): craft\elements\Entry->updateTitle()
#7 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/cms/src/services/Elements.php(2544): craft\elements\Entry->beforeSave()
#8 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/cms/src/services/Elements.php(1352): craft\services\Elements->_saveElementInternal()
#9 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/cms/src/services/Revisions.php(168): craft\services\Elements->duplicateElement()
#10 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/cms/src/elements/Entry.php(1734): craft\services\Revisions->createRevision()
#11 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/cms/src/services/Elements.php(2788): craft\elements\Entry->afterPropagate()
#12 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/cms/src/services/Elements.php(785): craft\services\Elements->_saveElementInternal()
#13 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/feed-me/src/base/Element.php(246): craft\services\Elements->saveElement()
#14 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/feed-me/src/services/Process.php(471): craft\feedme\base\Element->save()
#15 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/feed-me/src/services/Process.php(598): craft\feedme\services\Process->processFeed()
#16 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/feed-me/src/controllers/FeedsController.php(270): craft\feedme\services\Process->debugFeed()
#17 [internal function]: craft\feedme\controllers\FeedsController->actionDebug()
#18 /craft3/vendor/yiisoft/yii2/base/InlineAction.php(57): call_user_func_array()
#19 /craft3/vendor/yiisoft/yii2/base/Controller.php(178): yii\base\InlineAction->runWithParams()
#20 /craft3/vendor/yiisoft/yii2/base/Module.php(552): yii\base\Controller->runAction()
#21 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/cms/src/web/Application.php(293): yii\base\Module->runAction()
#22 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/cms/src/web/Application.php(602): craft\web\Application->runAction()
#23 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/cms/src/web/Application.php(272): craft\web\Application->_processActionRequest()
#24 /craft3/vendor/yiisoft/yii2/base/Application.php(384): craft\web\Application->handleRequest()
#25 /htdocs/index.php(22): yii\base\Application->run()
#26 {main}

I have already tried to strip down the import data to only one row, use various date-formats etc.

The site still runs on Craft 3 and it will need some more time to upgrade to Craft4, although that's planned for this year. However, we therefore really need this plugin right now.

Additional info

• Craft version: 3.7.64.1
• PHP version: 8.1.15
• Database driver & version: MySQL 5.7.22
• Plugins & versions: FeedMe 4.5.4

[i-just]

Hi, thanks for reaching out. I’m having a hard time replicating this issue. One more thing you could try from your end is to clear compiled template caches via php craft clear-caches/compiled-templates and see if that makes any difference at all. If not, would you be able to share a screenshot of your feed mapping screen and a snippet of data you’re trying to import that triggers this issue?

[luke-nehemedia]

Thank you for your answer.

I cleared the compiled templates, but it did not solve the problem.

Here is a screenshot of the feed mapping screen:

And here on of the data. It is gathered from a google spreadsheet.

If necessary I can also give you access to the google spreadsheet.

[i-just]

Thanks for the info. This looks to be happening when trying to update the title field:
#6 /craft3/vendor/craftcms/cms/src/elements/Entry.php(1625): craft\elements\Entry->updateTitle()

craft\elements\Entry->updateTitle() is only triggered when the entry type has a dynamic title format.
I can replicate this issue if I use {postDate} as a title format. It works as expected if I change that to {postDate|date('d/m/y')}. The same would happen if I used expiryDate in the title format.

I’m going to go ahead and close this, but if you have any more issues, please feel free to let me know.