[RESOLVED] date arithmetic/comparison anomaly???

fuzzy1

Hey All,

Consider the following output which is curiously WRONG, considering THAT the code which generated it (below)
expressly states "IF TODAY IS LESS THAN..." while the output clearly indicates that TODAY IS EQUAL TO...

[INDENT]2006-12-06 -this is TODAY
2006-12-06 -this is the current marketing period (should be 2007-01-03)
2006-12-10 - this is group_2's current marketing period (should be 2007-01-03 +4 days')
2006-12-06 --this is marketyingCycle[11]
2007-01-03 -this is marketyingCycle[12][/INDENT]

<?php 
//GMT -7 hours
$today = date('Y-m-d');
$year = date('Y');
$marketingCycle = array();
$start = strtotime("first wednesday jan $year");  

$te = (28 * (3600*24));
	while($x<=12){  

    $f += $te;  

    ++$x; 
	$marketingCycle[] = date('Y-m-d',($start+$f))."\n"; 
	}  

if ($today < $marketingCycle[11]) { 
$period = $marketingCycle[11];

}else if ($today < $marketingCycle[12]) { 
$period = $marketingCycle[12];
}
$_group_2 = date('Y-m-d', strtotime($period . ' +4 days')); 

echo $today ." -this is TODAY<br><br>"; 
echo $period ." -this is the current marketing period<br><br>"; 
echo $_group_2 ." - this is group_2's marketing period<br>";
echo $marketingCycle[11]." --this is marketyingCycle[11]<br>"; 
echo $marketingCycle[12]."-this is marketyingCycle[12]<br>";
?>

the current marketing period SHOULD BE == marketyingCycle[12]because TODAY is NOT LESS THAN marketyingCycle[11] right?
Just as curious, this evening around 5 -5:30pm (GMT -7 hours) it WILL TIC UP to marketyingCycle[12].

Please,
What's going on here?

rincewind456

What's going on here?

You're not comparing like for like. This will do as you expect.

<?php
//GMT -7 hours
$today = strtotime(date('Y-m-d'));
$year = date('Y');
$marketingCycle = array();
$start = strtotime("first wednesday jan $year");
$te = (28 * (3600*24));
$x=0;
$f=0;
while($x<=12){
	$f += $te;
	++$x;
	$marketingCycle[] = ($start+$f)."\n";
}
$a = intval($marketingCycle[11]);
$b = intval($marketingCycle[12]);
if ($today <$a ) {
	$period = $a;

}else if ($today < $b) {
	$period = $b;
}


$periodplus = $period + (4 * (3600*24));

$_group_2 = date('Y-m-d', $periodplus);


echo date('Y-m-d', $today) ." -this is TODAY<br><br>";
echo date('Y-m-d', $period) ." -this is the current marketing period<br><br>";
echo $_group_2 ." - this is group_2's marketing period<br>";
echo date('Y-m-d', $a)." --this is marketyingCycle[11]<br>";
echo date('Y-m-d', $b)."-this is marketyingCycle[12]<br>";
?>

fuzzy1

Aha!
So basically, what your saying is that the problem lies in that (unbenownst to me) I was comparing the date output of 2006-12-06 to the UNIX timestamp of 1165388400 etc...???

Also, probably should have clarified the goal of solving for $period for two marketing groups if (condition) $period = date (for gropup1) and if($_group_2) $period = date + 4 days. In that context I have altered to suit however I'm still struggling with what to do about group_2 period. Am I correct in expecting same shortcoming for group_2 expressed in original post -- with following code?

<?php 
//GMT -7 hours
$today = strtotime(date('Y-m-d')); 
$year = date('Y'); 
$marketingCycle = array(); 
$start = strtotime("first wednesday jan $year"); 
$te = (28 * (3600*24)); 
$x=0; 
$f=0; 
while($x<=12){ 
    $f += $te; 
    ++$x; 
    $marketingCycle[] = ($start+$f)."\n"; 
} 

if ($today < $marketingCycle[11]) { 
$period = date('Y-m-d', $marketingCycle[11]);

}else if ($today < $marketingCycle[12]) { 
$period = date('Y-m-d', $marketingCycle[12]);
}
$_group_2 = date('Y-m-d', strtotime($period . ' +4 days')); 

/*if ($_group =='2'){
	$period = date('Y-m-d', strtotime($period . ' +4 days')); //adjust period for group 2*/


echo $period ." -this is the current marketing period<br><br>"; 
echo $_group_2 ." - this is group_2 marketing period<br>";
?>

The output looks right,
2007-01-03 -this is the current marketing period (group_1)
2007-01-07 - this is group_2's marketing period
but would the following query "fail" to produce the desired update when group_2's marketing period date rolls
around and the following query is run (as it failed for group_1) brining this problem to light in the first place?

$correct_visit_by = " UPDATE accounts SET visit_by = '$period' 
where visit_by != '$period' and active='on' ";
    $result = @mysql_query ($correct_visit_by); // Run the query.

rincewind456

It is always easier to use unix timestamps for comparison, but that wasn't the only thing causing the problem.

You were comparing a string to an array in this area

if ($today < $marketingCycle[11]) { 
$period = $marketingCycle[11]; 

}else if ($today < $marketingCycle[12]) { 
$period = $marketingCycle[12]; 
}

fuzzy1

Thanks Rincewind,
I must have been editing at time of your last post.
I think I have it, (string to array comparison doesn't appear problematic)
but would you be so kind as to review?
(see my previous post)

fuzzy1

Actually, I think it's ALL GOOD???

I reset with $start params as follows...

<?php 
//GMT -7 hours
$today = strtotime(date('Y-m-d')); 
$year = date('Y'); 
$marketingCycle = array(); 
$start = strtotime("first tuesday jan $year"); 
$te = (28 * (3600*24)); 
$x=0; 
$f=0; 
while($x<=12){ 
    $f += $te; 
    ++$x; 
    $marketingCycle[] = ($start+$f)."\n"; 
} 

if ($today < $marketingCycle[11]) { 
$period = date('Y-m-d', $marketingCycle[11]);

}else if ($today < $marketingCycle[12]) { 
$period = date('Y-m-d', $marketingCycle[12]);
}
$_group_2 = date('Y-m-d', strtotime($period . ' +1 days')); 

echo $period ." -this is the current marketing period (group_1)<br>"; 
echo $_group_2 ." - this is group_2's marketing period<br>";
?>

Which returns:
2007-01-02 -this is the current marketing period (group_1)
2007-01-03 - this is group_2's marketing period
As Expected!
Hooray!
Many Thanks! :xbones: