PHP - Get device/browser local time in Unix

Question

I need to get the end users device time echo'ed on a page, ideally this would be by

Q1) discover end users time zone,

2) I will then get the current unix time using $currenttimeunix = time();

Q3) adjust for time zone difference

2 I can do, so it's Q1 & Q3 I need help with

Why not use JavaScript to post the time? That would solve all the problems at once — Andreas, Dec 28 '18 at 21:00
Use javascript/ajax, then transform the data in server side. The end user clock may be wrong so you need to be aware of this. — Felippe Duarte, Dec 28 '18 at 21:01
@FelippeDuarte I think the likelihood is higher that the user is using a VPN which will offset the time, than the time on the device is incorrect. But that is my guess — Andreas, Dec 28 '18 at 21:03
Sure @Andreas , it can be different/inaccurate by many reasons. — Felippe Duarte, Dec 28 '18 at 21:05

ShahinSorkh · Answer 1 · 2018-12-29T15:12:36.813

You can do nothing with user's device/browser/whatever through php since it's javascript (or any client side language) responsibility.

PHP runs in the server not in the user's device. time() will always give you the server's time in epoch never the user's.

For more details on how to get the user's local time by javascript (using jquery) check this answer. Though you can never trust it as @FelippeDuarte and @Andreas discussed it under your question in comments.

Update I copy the most important parts of the mentioned answer.

On the PHP page where you are want to have the timezone as a variable, have this snippet of code somewhere near the top of the page:

<?php    
    session_start();
    $timezone = $_SESSION['time'];
?>

This will read the session variable "time", which we are now about to create.

On the same page, in the <head> section, first of all you need to include jQuery:

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://code.jquery.com/jquery-latest.min.js"></script>

Also in the <head> section,, paste this jQuery:

<script type="text/javascript">
    $(document).ready(function() {
        if("<?php echo $timezone; ?>".length==0){
            var visitortime = new Date();
            var visitortimezone = "GMT " + -visitortime.getTimezoneOffset()/60;
            $.ajax({
                type: "GET",
                url: "http://example.com/timezone.php",
                data: 'time='+ visitortimezone,
                success: function(){
                    location.reload();
                }
            });
        }
    });
</script>

Create a new file called timezone.php and point to it with the above url

<?php
    session_start();
    $_SESSION['time'] = $_GET['time'];
?>

If this works correctly, it will first load the page, execute the JavaScript, and reload the page. You will then be able to read the $timezone variable and use it to your pleasure! It returns the current UTC/GMT time zone offset (GMT -7) or whatever timezone you are in.

PHP - Get device/browser local time in Unix

1 Answers1