php date

bo0

I am wanting to create a script to select entries that are from a certain date or older, for example:

if ($date >= $today) {
//run xyz
}

In what format should I set $date and $today?
Christoph

visualAd

You should use a timestamp. The current timestamp is returned using time() and you can make a timestamp using the mktime(). As the timestamps are an integer representing the number of seconds since 1/1/1970 you can use normal arithmatic on them.

i.e:

$time1- $time2; // find the difference between two dates
$time1+$time2; // add two dates
$time1==$time2; // check if dates are equal
$time1>$time2; // check if on date is later than another

Installer

Easier to use than "mktime()" is strtotime(), especially if you keep your date formats compatible with both it and your database. But if you're using a database, the easiest way to compare and manipulate dates is directly in your query with, e.g., MySQL date functions.

With PHP:

$today_ts = strtotime('today');
$yesterday_ts = strtotime('2006-06-11');
$diff = $today_ts - $yesterday_ts;

bo0

Any way of doing this utilizing JUST the date(); function?

visualAd

The date function formats the date as a string. It is totally unsuitable for date arithmatic. What is the problem with using time() and mktime()?

bo0

I have the following script:

					// If date_format is specified and pubDate is valid
					if ($this->date_format != '' && ($timestamp = strtotime($result['items'][$i]['pubDate'])) !==-1) {
						// convert pubDate to specified date format
						$result['items'][$i]['pubDate'] = date($this->date_format, $timestamp);
					}

Would it work to just change "date(" to "strtotime()"?

examancer

actually it would appear that you can just get rid of date() and $this->date_format (as the date will no longer be formatted, it will be a raw timestamp. no strtotime() needed.

$result['items'][$i]['pubDate'] = $timestamp;

bo0

examancer wrote:
actually it would appear that you can just get rid of date() and $this->date_format (as the date will no longer be formatted, it will be a raw timestamp. no strtotime() needed.
$result['items'][$i]['pubDate'] = $timestamp;

Cheers! It's all good now.