Problem with date()

bookbuyer2000

Using PHP's date() function, I log the times visitors visit my website. Because my website is hosted in a different time zone, I use this code:

$time_of_visit = date("Mj g:ia",time() - 25200);

The variable "$time_of_visit" is loaded into my mySQL database.

Here's the problem: I just now went to my own website, and loaded and reloaded the page six times, and this is what got loaded into mySQL:

7:49pm
7:49pm
7:49pm
11:49pm
7:49pm
7:49pm

Notice the "11:49pm?" ... I know that PHP didn't "forget" to subtract 25200... or did it? :bemused:

HalfaBee

Odd seeing 4 hours is 14400 seconds.

homer09001

can you not just set the timezone of the script? such as Zulu or GMT?

bookbuyer2000

Setting the timezone of the script? That sounds like a great idea -- I'm not proficient in doing that. I have read and re-read instructions on PHP date() and time, and there seems to be a lot of ways to do this.

How would a good programmer code this -- the most efficient way (fastest processing time -- so it doesn't make my page take too long to load)?

Currently, the way I have it is that the variable "$time_of_visit" is set to "date("Mj g:ia",time() - 25200)" and then "$time_of_visit" is inserted into mySQL database (i.e. $statement = mysql_query("insert into $my_log values '$time_of_visit' etc., etc.)

Thank you!!

homer09001

putenv("TZ=Europe/London");
echo "New Time: ". date("H:i:s:A")."\n";

Place the first line at the very top of your page, or if you have session_start(); place beneath that.

You can set the time zone to any of the following:

America/New_York 
America/Indianapolis 
America/Chicago 
America/Denver 
America/Los_Angeles 
America/Anchorage 
Pacific/Honolulu 
Europe/London 
Europe/Paris 
Europe/Helsinki

bookbuyer2000

I just now tried out your putenv() suggestion, and it works. But, I'm still curious how come my date() function wouldn't subtract consistently.... what could be some possible reasons? I tried to imagine if my host had computers at 2 separate locations (e.g. Los Angeles, and New York), mirroring each other.... but that wouldn't make sense.... would it? What would cause date() to not always work???

homer09001

your suggestion could well be the cause, i believe a lot of hosting companys do that so if one server has a tech problem it will automatticaly swith to the other to prevent down time.

it may just have been a power surge or something that only lasted a couple of seconds, you could try contacting them and asking?