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How to reliably convert UK date string to timestamp regardless of server default formatting?

Hi All,

I have input dates always in UK format (dd/mm/yyyy).

I want to convert into a timestamp, but the server timezones are different between dev/staging and production servers.

I want to reliably convert a UK string date into a timestamp. Any ideas? The attached code does not work - I thought it would?

Thanks, TheFoot

// Force UK date format
date_default_timezone_set('GMT'); // UTC? Europe/London?
$v_test_date = '01/12/2011'; // 1st December 2011 UK format
$o_date = new DateTime($v_test_date);
dump(array(
	"Original (UK)" 		=> $v_test_date, 
	"Formatted (Server)"	=> $o_date->format('d/m/Y')
));
exit;

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Barry Jones

ASKER

I've managed to get it to work by manually parsing the date string as ANSI-SQL standard date format.

Anyone with better solutions?

Thanks, TheFoot

$v_input_date = '18/12/2011'; // 18th December UK Format
$a_uk_format = list($d, $m, $y) = preg_split( '/[-\.\/ ]/', $v_input_date);
$v_ansi_format = $a_uk_format[2].'-'.$a_uk_format[1].'-'.$a_uk_format[0];
$v_ts = strtotime($v_ansi_format);
echo date('d/m/Y', $v_ts);
exit;

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SOLUTION

xterm

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ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Ray Paseur

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Ray Paseur

So to expand on that piece of code a little bit... The translator code is on line 14.

<?php // RAY_temp_thefoot.php
error_reporting(E_ALL);
echo "<pre>";

date_default_timezone_set('Europe/London');

// A DATE WITH SLASHES IS NOT IN 'UK' FORMAT
$d = '01/12/2011'; // 1st December 2011 NOT UK format
$t = strtotime($d);
$x = date('r', $t);
echo PHP_EOL . "$d = $x";

// CORRECT THE SEPARATOR CHARACTER TO MAKE A DATE WITH DASHES
$d = str_replace('/', '-', $d);
$t = strtotime($d);
$x = date('r', $t);
echo PHP_EOL . "$d = $x";

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Barry Jones

ASKER

Thanks for the link to the article Ray - very interesting info.

I'm not sure where you get the idea that using slashes in a date is not a valid UK format - my experience is that it is far more common in the UK than using dashes. Using preg-replace allows me to take into consideration both input formats which is a more flexible approach.

I (obviously) agree with your article that the best way to use dates server-side is to parse it to ansi/iso format - works all round php and mysql.

Thanks, TheFoot

SOLUTION

Ray Paseur

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Barry Jones

ASKER

Ah I see.. sorry :-)

Thanks very much for your informative comments.. I appreciate your time

Cheers

TheFoot