Getting date format m-d-Y H:i:s.u from milliseconds

Question

I am trying to get a formatted date, including the microseconds from a UNIX timestamp specified in milliseconds.

The only problem is I keep getting 000000, e.g.

$milliseconds = 1375010774123;
$d = date("m-d-Y H:i:s.u", $milliseconds/1000);
print $d;

07-28-2013 11:26:14.000000

It's weird that the question asks for converting **milliseconds**, but everybody answer how to convert microseconds. I know you can convert between both but actually answering the question instead of copying and pasting unrelated code from the PHP doc or elsewhere would be nice. — laurent, Oct 09 '18 at 10:03

score 198 · Answer 1 · edited Apr 04 '18 at 05:22

198

You can readily do this this with the input format U.u.

$now = DateTime::createFromFormat('U.u', microtime(true));
echo $now->format("m-d-Y H:i:s.u");

This produces the following output:

04-13-2015 05:56:22.082300

From the PHP manual page for date formats:

U = Seconds since the Unix Epoch
u = Microseconds

http://php.net/manual/en/function.date.php

Thanks goes to giggsey for pointing out a flaw in my original answer, adding number_format() to the line should fix the case of the exact second. Too bad it doesn't feel quite as elegant any more...

$now = DateTime::createFromFormat('U.u', number_format(microtime(true), 6, '.', ''));

http://php.net/manual/en/function.number-format.php

A note on time zones in response to DaVe.

Normally the createFromFormat() method will use the local time zone if one is not specified.

http://php.net/manual/en/datetime.createfromformat.php

However, the technique described here is initialising the DateTime object using microtime() which returns the number of seconds elapsed since the Unix Epoch (01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 GMT).

http://php.net/manual/en/function.microtime.php

This means that the DateTime object is implicitly initialised to UTC, which is fine for server internal tasks that just want to track elapsed time.

If you need to display the time for a particular time zone then you need to set it accordingly. However, this should be done as a separate step after the initialisation (not using the third parameter of createFromFormat()) because of the reasons discussed above.

The setTimeZone() method can be used to accomplish this requirement.

http://php.net/manual/en/datetime.settimezone.php

As an example:

$now = DateTime::createFromFormat('U.u', number_format(microtime(true), 6, '.', ''));
echo $now->format("m-d-Y H:i:s.u") . '<br>';

$local = $now->setTimeZone(new DateTimeZone('Australia/Canberra'));
echo $local->format("m-d-Y H:i:s.u") . '<br>';

Produces the following output:

10-29-2015 00:40:09.433818
10-29-2015 11:40:09.433818

Note that if you want to input into mysql, the time format needs to be:

format("Y-m-d H:i:s.u")

edited Apr 04 '18 at 05:22

didwefixit

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answered Apr 13 '15 at 06:00

ArchCodeMonkey

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Note: `DateTime::createFromFormat('U.u', microtime(true));` will return false if `microtime(true)` runs on the exact second. It returns '1438616239' instead of '1438616239.000000'. – giggsey Aug 03 '15 at 15:40
1

Thanks giggsey, it's always the fringe cases that get you! – ArchCodeMonkey Aug 05 '15 at 08:52
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Great solution, thank you. It seems I'm losing my local time creating $now from microtime. Any idea? – David Gras Oct 27 '15 at 23:21
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@daVe I've added some information on time zones, I hope that's what you were after. – ArchCodeMonkey Oct 29 '15 at 00:48
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The `number_format` is always necessary, even when it's not on the exact second. Otherwise you're at the mercy of the `precision` PHP configuration option (for "display"), which is not high enough by default as of PHP 7.0 causing a loss of precision (not accurate up to the microsecond). – Teoh Han Hui Apr 18 '16 at 08:30
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Always scroll down in StackOverflow – tom10271 Aug 12 '19 at 02:24
1

This doesn't work correctly for negative unix epoch timestamps. `createFromFormat('U.u', '-1.500000' )` will give you `12-31-1969 23:59:59.500000`. – Marcel Pfeiffer Feb 07 '22 at 13:44
@MarcelPfeiffer That's an interesting problem, I'd not tried to use this method with negative timestamps. There's some discussion of the issue in this question [DateTime with microseconds for negative timestamps](https://stackoverflow.com/q/53748547). – ArchCodeMonkey Feb 09 '22 at 11:22
To convert the float time into a deterministic string, you might find `sprintf('%.6f', microtime(true))` to be more succinct than `number_format(microtime(true), 6, '.', '')`. – Daniel Hemberger Jun 09 '22 at 08:01

score 138 · Accepted Answer · edited Aug 20 '18 at 10:38

138

php.net says:

Microseconds (added in PHP 5.2.2). Note that date() will always generate 000000 since it takes an integer parameter, whereas DateTime::format() does support microseconds if DateTime was created with microseconds.

So use as simple:

$micro_date = microtime();
$date_array = explode(" ",$micro_date);
$date = date("Y-m-d H:i:s",$date_array[1]);
echo "Date: $date:" . $date_array[0]."<br>";

Recommended and use dateTime() class from referenced:

$t = microtime(true);
$micro = sprintf("%06d",($t - floor($t)) * 1000000);
$d = new DateTime( date('Y-m-d H:i:s.'.$micro, $t) );

print $d->format("Y-m-d H:i:s.u"); // note at point on "u"

Note u is microseconds (1 seconds = 1000000 µs).

Another example from php.net:

$d2=new DateTime("2012-07-08 11:14:15.889342");

Reference of dateTime() on php.net

I've answered on question as short and simplify to author. Please see for more information to author: getting date format m-d-Y H:i:s.u from milliseconds

edited Aug 20 '18 at 10:38

Alessio Cantarella

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answered Jul 28 '13 at 15:37

Marin Sagovac

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I generally opt for the second form as it's easier to read and understand. Additionally, DateTime is far more flexible and robust than the date/time functions. Handling microseconds is a case-in-point. – Herbert Jul 28 '13 at 16:09
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@Geo and AlBundy could it be you are trying this on a machine with php < 5.2.2 ? PHP 5.4.39 runs this perfectly fine... – RichardBernards Dec 22 '15 at 14:16
wouldn't this be easy? date('m-d-Y H:i:s').(int)microtime(true); – Anant Apr 19 '18 at 11:00
@Anant, it would be quite easy, indeed. But wrong. ;) What you get there is just the epoch in seconds. (Unfortunately, wouldn't work with `microtime(false)` either.) – Sz. Sep 28 '18 at 02:10
This code does not work on all locales correctly. Some countries like Germany write "0,1234" or "0.1234" instead of ".1234", therefore your code gives following output for me: `2012-07-08 11:14:15.0.889342` – Daniel Marschall Apr 18 '20 at 13:14
This also return an error: `Deprecated: Implicit conversion from float 1664568100.74341 to int loses precision ` due to `microtime(true)` returns this. – Parminder Singh Sep 30 '22 at 20:14

score 19 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 05 '17 at 15:12

19

I'm use

echo date("Y-m-d H:i:s.").gettimeofday()["usec"];

output: 2017-09-05 17:04:57.555036

answered Sep 05 '17 at 15:12

bamossza

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One line of code. Elegant. – Misunderstood Feb 10 '23 at 03:16

thotso · Answer 4 · 2014-08-08T03:28:27.513

16

Here's a slightly shorter approach. Rather than work to create a high-precision numeric date/time, I convert the microsecond value to a string, remove the 0, and add it to the end of the date/time string. I can easily trim the number of decimals by adjusting the string length parameter; here I use 4 to get milliseconds, but you could use 7 to get microseconds.

$t = explode(" ",microtime());
echo date("m-d-y H:i:s",$t[1]).substr((string)$t[0],1,4);

For a microtime() value of 0.98236000 1407400573, this returns 08-07-14 01:08:13.982.

edited Aug 08 '14 at 03:28

answered Aug 07 '14 at 09:21

thotso

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Shouldn't it just be like this? date("m-d-y H:i:s") . substr((string)$t,1,4); I'm confused by the array references, explode etc... – Chris Pugmire Jan 16 '23 at 21:50

score 8 · Answer 5 · edited Nov 29 '21 at 20:59

8

# PHP 8 type safe when using declare(strict_types=1);
echo date('m-d-Y H:i:s').substr((string) fmod(microtime(true), 1), 1, 4);

example output:

02-06-2019 16:45:03.53811192512512

If you have a need to limit the number of decimal places then the below line (credit mgutt) would be a good alternative. (With the code below, the 6 limits the number of decimal places to 6.)

echo date('m-d-Y H:i:').sprintf('%09.6f', date('s')+fmod(microtime(true), 1));

example output:

02-11-2019 15:33:03.624493

edited Nov 29 '21 at 20:59

Peter VARGA

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answered Jun 02 '17 at 15:18

ghbarratt

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You missed the precision and leading zero for seconds. So the correct version should be `echo date('m-d-Y H:i:').sprintf('%09.6f', date('s')+fmod(microtime(true), 1));`. Explanation why we need `09`: https://stackoverflow.com/a/28739819/318765 – mgutt Feb 04 '19 at 21:30
You missed the precision again ;) `echo date('H:i:s').substr(fmod(microtime(true), 1), 1, 7);` – mgutt Feb 08 '19 at 15:35
But beware, `substr()` does not round. And in compination with `round()` it would cut the trailing zeros: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7493305/how-do-i-round-in-php-with-keeping-the-two-zeros Thats the reason why I proposed `sprintf()`. – mgutt Feb 08 '19 at 15:45
@mgutt When would the first digit not be a zero? Basically what is needed is simply to remove the zero that is always there when getting the remainder from fmod by 1. The question asks for microseconds but in the form of decimal places of the seconds. There is no reason to limit the number of decimal places. More decimal places is simply better precision. – ghbarratt Feb 11 '19 at 21:18
@mgutt I added your first suggested alternative to my answer, explaining that that would be a good way to limit the number of decimal places if needed – ghbarratt Feb 11 '19 at 21:30
Now its perfect ;) – mgutt Feb 12 '19 at 23:14

Dharman · Answer 6 · 2020-12-12T16:20:27.677

For PHP 8.0+

The bug has been recently fixed and now you can use UNIX timestamps with a fractional part.

$milliseconds = 1375010774123;

$d = new DateTime( '@'. $milliseconds/1000 );
print $d->format("m-d-Y H:i:s.u");

Output:

07-28-2013 11:26:14.123000

For PHP < 8.0

You need to specify the format of your UNIX timestamp before you can use it in the DateTime object. As noted in other answers, you can simply work around this bug by using createFromFormat() and number_format()

$milliseconds = 1375010774123;

$d = DateTime::createFromFormat('U.v', number_format($milliseconds/1000, 3, '.', ''));
print $d->format("m-d-Y H:i:s.u");

Output:

07-28-2013 11:26:14.123000

For PHP < 7.3

If you are still using PHP older than 7.3 you can replace U.v with U.u. It will not make any difference, but the millisecond format identifier is present only since PHP 7.3.

$milliseconds = 1375010774123;
//                                 V - Use microseconds instead of milliseconds
$d = DateTime::createFromFormat('U.u', number_format($milliseconds/1000, 3, '.', ''));
print $d->format("m-d-Y H:i:s.u");

Output:

07-28-2013 11:26:14.123000

score 6 · Answer 7 · edited Apr 11 '18 at 09:37

6

As of PHP 7.1 you can simply do this:

$date = new DateTime( "NOW" );
echo $date->format( "m-d-Y H:i:s.u" );

It will display as:

04-11-2018 10:54:01.321688

edited Apr 11 '18 at 09:37

Syfer

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answered Apr 11 '18 at 09:14

Harveyhase68

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Shorthand echo (new DateTime())->format('Y-m-d H:i:s.u'); – mariovials Dec 14 '22 at 16:27

mpen · Answer 8 · 2016-05-20T22:24:32.947

4

If you want to format a date like JavaScript's (new Date()).toISOString() for some reason, this is how you can do it in PHP:

$now = microtime(true);
gmdate('Y-m-d\TH:i:s', $now).sprintf('.%03dZ',round(($now-floor($now))*1000));

Sample output:

2016-04-27T18:25:56.696Z

Just to prove that subtracting off the whole number doesn't reduce the accuracy of the decimal portion:

>>> number_format(123.01234567890123456789,25)
=> "123.0123456789012408307826263"
>>> number_format(123.01234567890123456789-123,25)
=> "0.0123456789012408307826263"

PHP did round the decimal places, but it rounded them the same way in both cases.

edited May 20 '16 at 22:24

answered Apr 27 '16 at 18:28

mpen

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No. Don't use math on the floating point number, it's inaccurate. Also don't waste time calling several functions. Just use substr() to truncate the formatted date to three decimal places. – Mr. Lance E Sloan May 20 '16 at 20:00
@LS Truncating won't round the 3rd decimal which is probably even more inaccurate. Floats don't break down until you get into really tiny precisions; 3 decimal places should be fine. Actually, I don't think I'm altering the precision at all, floats get more accurate the closer you get to 0. Subtracting the whole number off shouldn't alter the decimal places AFAIK. – mpen May 20 '16 at 22:18
What about `date('Y-m-d\TH:i:s', $time / 1000) . sprintf('.%03dZ', substr($time, 10));`? – Artfaith Jun 25 '20 at 03:00
@F8ER If your `$time` is already in milliseconds, yeah, that would technically work. Don't love the `substr` hack, but I guess it would work for dates between 2001 and 2286. – mpen Jun 25 '20 at 03:13
Yes, the `$time` is MS, but what about `2286`, I mean why do think so and how it would be possible to escape such? – Artfaith Jun 25 '20 at 03:15
@F8ER Your `substr(..., 10)` assumes a specific # of digits. In the year 2286 an extra digit will be added to the timestamp. – mpen Jun 28 '20 at 22:29

score 4 · Answer 9 · answered Feb 10 '17 at 21:26

This is based on answer from ArchCodeMonkey.

But just simplified, if you just want something quick that works.

function DateTime_us_utc(){
    return DateTime::createFromFormat('U.u', number_format(microtime(true), 6, '.', ''));
}
function DateTime_us(){
    $now = DateTime_us_utc();
    return $now->setTimeZone(new DateTimeZone(date_default_timezone_get()));
}

So for me then

$now = DateTime_us();
$now->format("m-d-Y H:i:s.u");

score 3 · Answer 10 · edited May 17 '18 at 00:59

3

Here is another method that I find slightly more elegant/simple:

echo date('Y-m-d-H:i:s.').preg_replace("/^.*\./i","", microtime(true));

edited May 17 '18 at 00:59

Stephen Rauch

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answered May 17 '18 at 00:39

SDpyro

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score 1 · Answer 11 · answered Oct 25 '14 at 16:59

// Procedural
$fineStamp = date('Y-m-d\TH:i:s') . substr(microtime(), 1, 9);
echo $fineStamp . PHP_EOL;

// Object-oriented (if you must). Still relies on $fineStamp though :-\
$d = new DateTime($fineStamp);
echo $d->format('Y-m-d\TH:i:s.u') . PHP_EOL;

Digitaltim · Answer 12 · 2023-02-06T03:43:40.223

1

Simplest solution for me was:

date('c', substr($timestamp, 0, -3))

edited Feb 06 '23 at 03:43

answered Feb 06 '23 at 03:43

Digitaltim

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score 0 · Answer 13 · answered Jul 28 '13 at 15:37

0

The documentation says the following:

Microseconds (added in PHP 5.2.2). Note that date() will always generate 000000 since it takes an integer parameter, whereas DateTime::format() does support microseconds.

I.e., use DateTime instead.

answered Jul 28 '13 at 15:37

6

This does not work! date_format(new DateTime(), 'u') gives zeroes: http://phpfiddle.org/lite/code/ggh-mvz – Jānis Elmeris Oct 25 '13 at 13:32
Yes as per the answer above (and my trials) `new DateTime()` will also return 0000 for u. But if you provide it with a microsecond-accuracy time when instantiating it, it works OK. – scipilot May 18 '14 at 09:03
@scipilot ok, so how do you do that? – Geo Oct 23 '14 at 22:38
@Geo see the accepted answer. `new DateTime( 'Y-m-d H:i:s.'.$micro);` – scipilot Oct 24 '14 at 05:29

score 0 · Answer 14 · answered Jan 31 '18 at 17:21

With PHP 7.0+ now here you can do the following:

$dateString = substr($millseconds_go_here,0,10);
$drawDate = new \DateTime(Date('Y-m-d H:i',$dateString));
$drawDate->setTimezone(new \DateTimeZone('UTC'));

This does the following in order:

Trims the last 4 zeros off the string so Date() can handle the date.
Uses date to format the milliseconds into a date time string that DateTime can understand.
DateTime() can then allow you to modify the time zone you are in, but ensure that date_default_timezone_set("Timezone"); is set before you use DateTime() functions and classes.
It is good practice to use a constructor in your classes to make sure your in the correct timezone when DateTime() classes or functions are used.

score 0 · Answer 15 · answered May 31 '18 at 06:08

0

if you are using Carbon, you can use the defined spec "RFC3339_EXTENDED". or customize it.

Carbon::RFC3339_EXTENDED = 'Y-m-d\TH:i:s.vP';

answered May 31 '18 at 06:08

Aiden Moon

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score 0 · Answer 16 · answered Dec 03 '18 at 14:09

0

Based on @ArchCodeMonkey answer.

If you have declare(strict_types=1) you must cast second argument to string

answered Dec 03 '18 at 14:09

SandroMarques

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score 0 · Answer 17 · answered Sep 14 '21 at 00:44

This function work from php5.2 till php7.4. Here it is including test code:

#!/usr/bin/php
<?php

function dtfn ($t=null) // for filenames, date + time, year first, ms always 3 digits
{
  if (!$t) $t = microtime(true);
  $dtx = date('Y-m-d_H.i.s', $t);
  $ms = sprintf("%03u", 1000 * fmod($t,1));
  return "$dtx.$ms";
}

function xxx($t)
{
  echo sprintf("%12s: %s\n", $t, dtfn($t));
}

xxx(1);
xxx(1.0);
xxx(1.01);
xxx(1.0101);
xxx(1.23456789);

results:

           1: 1970-01-01_01.00.01.000
           1: 1970-01-01_01.00.01.000
        1.01: 1970-01-01_01.00.01.010
      1.0101: 1970-01-01_01.00.01.010
  1.23456789: 1970-01-01_01.00.01.234

score 0 · Answer 18 · answered Oct 11 '21 at 10:18

0

Single line version (useful as function param) for php >= 7.3:

printf("%s",


 (DateTime::createFromFormat('U.u', microtime(true)))
    ->setTimezone(new \DateTimeZone('UTC'))
    ->format("Y-m-d.H:i:s.v")

);

See v and u in formats

answered Oct 11 '21 at 10:18

Ivan Buttinoni

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It looks like "v" isn't supported in PHP 7. Or is it? During my tests, .v would fail but .u not. Both worked in PHP 8. – Josef Habr Oct 26 '21 at 21:50
It doesn't work im my case. It'a always 000 or 000000 – Katarzyna Apr 07 '22 at 10:44
Why you use printf when you already have a string... here's a simpler risk-free version: `echo (new DateTime())->format('Y-m-d.H:i:s.u');` / https://3v4l.org/NWSip – Christian Dec 17 '22 at 20:33

Getting date format m-d-Y H:i:s.u from milliseconds

18 Answers18

For PHP 8.0+

For PHP < 8.0

For PHP < 7.3

Linked

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