Don't release date if it hasn't been changed.

STUD-2056

cms/static/js/views/modals/edit_outline_item.js

@@ -184,6 +184,14 @@ define(['jquery', 'backbone', 'underscore', 'gettext', 'js/views/modals/base_mod
 
         ReleaseDateView = BaseDateView.extend({
             fieldName: 'start',
+            startingReleaseDate: null,
+
+            afterRender: function () {
+                BaseDateView.prototype.afterRender.call(this);
+                // Store the starting date and time so that we can determine if the user
+                // actually changed it when "Save" is pressed.
+                this.startingReleaseDate = this.getValue();
+            },
 
             getValue: function () {
                 return DateUtils.getDate(this.$('#start_date'), this.$('#start_time'));
@@ -195,8 +203,12 @@ define(['jquery', 'backbone', 'underscore', 'gettext', 'js/views/modals/base_mod
             },
 
             getMetadata: function () {
+                var newReleaseDate = this.getValue();
+                if (JSON.stringify(newReleaseDate) === JSON.stringify(this.startingReleaseDate)) {
+                    return {};
+                }
                 return {
-                    'start': this.getValue()
+                    'start': newReleaseDate
                 };
             }
         });

common/test/acceptance/tests/test_studio_outline.py

@@ -375,6 +375,30 @@ class EditingSectionsTest(CourseOutlineTest):
 
         self.assertEqual(u'Problem', progress_page.grading_formats[0])
 
+    def test_unchanged_release_date_is_not_saved(self):
+        """
+        Scenario: Saving a subsection without changing the release date will not override the release date
+            Given that I have created a section with a subsection
+            When I open the settings modal for the subsection
+            And I pressed save
+            And I open the settings modal for the section
+            And I change the release date to 07/20/1969
+            And I press save
+            Then the subsection and the section have the release date 07/20/1969
+        """
+        self.course_outline_page.visit()
+
+        modal = self.course_outline_page.section_at(0).subsection_at(0).edit()
+        modal.save()
+
+        modal = self.course_outline_page.section_at(0).edit()
+        modal.release_date = '7/20/1969'
+        modal.save()
+
+        release_text = 'Released: Jul 20, 1969'
+        self.assertIn(release_text, self.course_outline_page.section_at(0).release_date)
+        self.assertIn(release_text, self.course_outline_page.section_at(0).subsection_at(0).release_date)
+
 
 class EditNamesTest(CourseOutlineTest):
     """