I couldn't reproduce the issue on the v1.87 dev branch.
@ ITEd: can you have a look at this branch too and tell us, if you can reproduce the issue?

@ ElMatador69: It'll be a while before I can try 1.87, I'm afraid - maybe late next week.

FWIW, the problem seems to have come and gone a couple of times. Using the sample survey, it is
there in Version 1.85+ (7593),
gone in Version 1.85+ (7670),
back in Version 1.86 (7697).

I'll let you know about 1.87 as soon as I can.

@ ITEd: did you find time to test the latest version from SVN?

I tested with build 7789 (db v 140), downloaded today with Tortoise: The icon with today set as start date shows 'active but with start date' as before. BUT, now the survey also cannot be accessed yet: "This survey is not yet started." So it's consistent now, but a day late.

(BTW, the version showing in the admin footer is 186RC.)

Sorry it took so long.

If you did a check out of the correct branch the version in the footer is at the moment: Version 1.87beta

Correct branch/directory (=latest development version) for checkout at the moment:
https://limesurvey.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/limesurvey/source/limesurvey

AND NOT (this branch is inactive at the moment):
https://limesurvey.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/limesurvey/source/limesurvey_dev

Sorry, I checked out the wrong branch then; thanks for the correction. I'll test is ASAP.

Tested with 187beta build 7790: Start date set to today. Icon shows 'active but with start date' as before; the survey cannot be accessed yet: "This survey is not yet started." In other words, the survey will become active the day AFTER the specified date.

@ ITEd:
1) is the date of your server the same as on your local machine?
2) did you set the parameter "$timeadjust" ==> http://docs.limesurvey.org/tiki-index.php?page=Optional+settings&structure=English+Instructions+for+LimeSurvey#Language_amp_Time

1. Yes, date, timezone, and time are identical on server and client PC (except for some seconds, maybe).
2. no, $timeadjust is untouched at '0' in config-default.php.

Can it not be reproduced? Am I doing something daft or odd?

I still CAN'T reproduce the issue - tested now with v1.87RC2 and a MySQL-DB.

@ Lemeur: do you have an idea?

I can't reproduce this either.

Carsten is our specialist on this.

I can't reproduce either. ITEd, can you give it another try on the 1.87RC2 version?

I'll check - probably before end of week.

Ok, tested and sort-of solved with limesurvey187rc3-build8004-20091130 (which, incidentally, displays RC4! in the admin footer):
Database.surveys.startdate was type=datetime & size = 19
and Database.surveys.expires was type=date & size = 10 (although the size wasn't creating any discernible problem).

I changed the startdate type manually to "date" as per create-mysql.sql (without any size specified), and now the conditions evaluate correctly.

I think the problem arises from an omission in the database updates. I've been using & upgrading this test installation since just before version 171+ build 5147.

upgrade-mysql.php has "ADD startdate DATETIME" in two places, ± line 220 & 353, but I cannot find any place where it updates the type to date only. The 'expires' field is modified to allow null on ± line 310, but I don't see anywhere where the historical size = 10 is reset either. Therefore I expect that all installations which have been updated since a particular point will have this bug.

(I see I forgot to mention that I use MySQL when I reported the bug. Apologies.)

I hope that helps.

PS: Sorry to take so long. Busy busy busy!

Thank you for the thorough analysis. I will have a look at this and hopefully solve this for good.

I solved this for good by adding time options to the start and expiry date.