# OmniFocus MCP Date Parsing Bug
## Summary
When using `batch_add_items` to create tasks with datetime values in ISO format, the dates are parsed incorrectly, resulting in dates from 2008 instead of 2026.
## Environment
- OmniFocus MCP Server (mcp-omnifocus)
- Tool: `mcp__mcp-omnifocus__batch_add_items`
## What I Tried
Created tasks using the following payload:
```json
{
"items": [
{
"type": "task",
"name": "morning",
"projectName": "morning habits",
"tags": ["routine"],
"deferDate": "2026-01-03T03:00:00",
"dueDate": "2026-01-03T08:00:00"
},
{
"type": "task",
"name": "evening",
"projectName": "evening habits",
"tags": ["routine"],
"deferDate": "2026-01-03T20:00:00",
"dueDate": "2026-01-03T23:00:00"
}
]
}
```
## Expected Result
- Morning task: defer 2026-01-03 at 03:00, due 2026-01-03 at 08:00
- Evening task: defer 2026-01-03 at 20:00, due 2026-01-03 at 23:00
## Actual Result
Both tasks were created with:
- Defer date: 18/07/2008
- Due date: 18/07/2008
The time component appears to be lost entirely.
## Tool Documentation
From the MCP tool schema:
```
deferDate: "The defer date of the task in ISO format (YYYY-MM-DD or full ISO date)"
dueDate: "The due date of the task in ISO format (YYYY-MM-DD or full ISO date)"
```
## Workaround Found
Using `edit_item` with just the date (no time) works correctly:
```json
{
"itemType": "task",
"id": "ggFiY-P5MP2.1157.5.82.1.121.106.789",
"newDeferDate": "2026-01-03",
"newDueDate": "2026-01-03"
}
```
This correctly sets the date to 2026-01-03, but the time component is lost.
## Questions to Investigate
1. What is the correct ISO format for including time? Options to try:
- `2026-01-03T03:00:00` (what I used)
- `2026-01-03T03:00:00Z` (with UTC timezone)
- `2026-01-03T03:00:00-08:00` (with PST timezone)
- `2026-01-03 03:00:00` (space instead of T)
2. Why does `2026-01-03T03:00:00` parse as `18/07/2008`?
- This is a very specific wrong date - there may be a numeric conversion bug
3. Does `edit_item` support time in `newDeferDate`/`newDueDate` parameters?
4. Is there a separate time field that should be used?
## Reproduction Steps
1. Use `mcp__mcp-omnifocus__batch_add_items` with items containing `deferDate` or `dueDate` in format `YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS`
2. Observe the created tasks in OmniFocus
3. Note that dates show as 2008 instead of 2026
## Additional Context
The date 18/07/2008 (or 07/18/2008 in US format) is suspicious. Converting the ISO string to a number or misinterpreting the format could produce this. For example:
- If "2026-01-03T03:00:00" is being parsed as a Unix timestamp or some other numeric format
- Or if the T and colons are causing parsing issues
