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PHP

Posted by Timothy Logue
Timothy Logue
6,082 Points

PHP if condition with date...

I'm trying to figure out how to get PHP to tell if "dateA" is newer than "dateB". The date format is a little different than the normal 2014-03-21.

Here is my date format: - 30 Sep, 2011 12:00pm

$dateA = '21 Mar, 2014 12:00pm';
$dateB = '30 Sep, 2011 12:00pm';                

if(strtotime($dateA) > strtotime($dateB))
{
    echo "dateA is newer";
}
else {
    echo "dateB is newer";
}

How can I get this to work? Any help is appreciated!

~ Timothy

7 Answers

Jeff Busch
Jeff Busch
19,287 Points

Timothy,

Would you be able to strip the comma before the conditional statement?

<?php

$dateA = '21 Mar, 2014 12:00pm';
$dateB = '30 Sep, 2011 12:00pm';

$dateA = str_replace(',', '', $dateA);
$dateB = str_replace(',', '', $dateB);

if(strtotime($dateA) > strtotime($dateB))
    {
        echo "dateA is newer";
    } else {
        echo "dateB is newer";
    }
?>
Timothy Logue
Timothy Logue
6,082 Points

Jeff, thanks! that works perfect :)

John Carr
PLUS
John Carr
Courses Plus Student 1,984 Points
John Carr
John Carr
Courses Plus Student 1,984 Points

$dateA = strtotime('21-03-2014'); $dateB = strtotime('30-09-2011'); This converts them to the number of seconds since January 1, 1970, so your comparison should work. not sure if it would work with $dateA = '21 Mar, 2014 12:00pm'; $dateB = '30 Sep, 2011 12:00pm';

Jeff Busch
Jeff Busch
19,287 Points
Jeff Busch
Jeff Busch
19,287 Points

Hi Timothy,

I ran the code on my computer and it echoed "dateB is older".

Jeff

Timothy Logue
Timothy Logue
6,082 Points

Thanks for the reply Jeff,

Yes, but if you look at the code I'm asking if "dateA" is greater-than "dateB" which at that moment it is. The code seems not to care and just prints out dateB is newer every time.

... I think it might be the date format issue but I need to use that date format.

How do I get php to understand that date format and to know when the date is a newer date?

Ricardo Hill-Henry
Ricardo Hill-Henry
38,442 Points
Ricardo Hill-Henry
Ricardo Hill-Henry
38,442 Points

I do believe you would have to compare the individual times to another time (such as the current date) to genuinely tell which is more current? Basically setting a reference point for them to be compared off of.

Or try changing your date syntax to

2014-03-21 12:00:00.0

Timothy Logue
Timothy Logue
6,082 Points

Thanks Ricardo,

That does work and i've already tried it :) but I need to use the date format I asked.

For example - "21 Mar, 2014 12:00pm"

John Carr
PLUS
John Carr
Courses Plus Student 1,984 Points
John Carr
John Carr
Courses Plus Student 1,984 Points

never done php but this might work

if(strtotime($dateA) >= strtotime(12, 0, 0, 9, 30, 2011)) { echo "It works!"; } else { echo "it doesn't"; }

Timothy Logue
Timothy Logue
6,082 Points

Hi John, Interesting... i'm messing with that now. Seems like something like that would work, right?

Right now your script is giving me an error: Warning: strtotime() expects at most 2 parameters, 6 given in Untitled-1.php on line 7

Thanks.

Ricardo Hill-Henry
Ricardo Hill-Henry
38,442 Points

Timothy Logue try the date syntax I provided, it should work well with this.

Timothy Logue
Timothy Logue
6,082 Points
Timothy Logue
Timothy Logue
6,082 Points

@Ricardo Hill-Henry - thanks that does work but I have to use the date format "21 Mar, 2014 12:00pm". I'm using a third party software that records the date format like that.

Jeff Busch
Jeff Busch
19,287 Points
Jeff Busch
Jeff Busch
19,287 Points

Timothy,

Can you lose the comma after the month?

Timothy Logue
Timothy Logue
6,082 Points

nope :(