php datetime output issue

Question

I fetch datetime in the DB from different columns based on some conditions.

The script in PHP:

if($obj->acct_status == 2)
    $dt = date('d M, Y h:i:s A', strtotime($obj->approve_datetime));

if($obj->acct_status == 4)
    $dt = date('d M, Y h:i:s A', strtotime($obj->suspend_datetime));

The DB stores datetime in this format:

2016-11-11 14:26:03

The output:

30 Nov, -0001 12:00:00 AM

What is the cause of this issue?

its because different default format between database and sql — Denny Sutedja
– Denny Sutedja, Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 7:23

Xorifelse · Accepted Answer · 2016-11-11 09:34:03Z

4

I strongly believe strtotime() should be avoided when there is a format available.

$from_format = 'Y-m-d H:i:s';
$to_format   = 'd M, Y h:i:s A';
$date = '2016-11-11 14:26:03';        


echo DateTime::createFromFormat($from_format, $date)->format($to_format);

Outputs:

11 Nov, 2016 02:26:03 PM

Why your code fails I cannot say for certain, it works fine here but you can diagnose a little. I'm assuming in your case its because strtotime() fails converting, returning -62169984000 which is actually 0000-00-00 00:00:00 but due to a second, minute, day and a month that is not allowed to be 0, calculations occur resulting in 0000-00-00 00:00:00 minus 1 day and 1 month, etc being 30 Nov -0001 12:00:00 so it would appear your $obj->suspend_datetime does not contain the correct data.

I've written 2 small functions to share that would make this whole ordeal easier to handle:

function strtodatetime($date, $format = 'Y-m-d H:i:s'){
  return ($d = DateTime::createFromFormat($format, $date)) && $d->format($format) == $date ? $d : false;
}

function strtounixtime($date, $format = 'Y-m-d H:i:s'){
  return ($d = DateTime::createFromFormat($format, $date)) && $d->format($format) == $date ? $d->getTimestamp() : 0;
}

echo ($dt = strtodatetime($date)) ? $dt->format($to_format) : 'invalid format';
echo date('d M, Y h:i:s A', strtounixtime($obj->approve_datetime));

In your scenario, using strtounixtime() (a better strtotime()) it would translate back to the unix epoch if it fails.

edited Nov 11, 2016 at 9:34

answered Nov 11, 2016 at 7:23

Xorifelse

7,9411 gold badge29 silver badges38 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

Xorifelse Over a year ago

Can have many reasons, your code actually works here. I'm assuming strtotime() fails in your case. Try echoing its integer and use this to check if its the correct date.

Aman Rawat Over a year ago

Its a good approach but if you change you date with $date = '0000-00-00 00:00:00'; You will get the same output as the above question mention so why use this?

Aman Rawat Over a year ago

You can suggest how to validate date supplied before converting :)

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

php datetime output issue

1 Answer 1

3 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

3 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related