Does PHP have an inverse of the date() function (other than strtotime())?

Question

Is there a function that uses the date() format to interpret a string?

echo date('s-i-H d:m:Y', 1304591364); // 34-29-17 05:05:2011

// Does this function exist?
echo inverse_date('s-i-H d:m:Y', '34-29-17 05:05:2011'); // 1304591364

I know strtotime(), but it’s failing me in most cases as I am not parsing English date formats.

I’m looking for a function that can dictate the format.

Moak · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-22T18:36:07.860

13

The real answer to this question the way I mean it is http://www.php.net/manual/en/datetime.createfromformat.php

    $date = date_create_from_format('j-M-Y', '15-Feb-2009');
    echo date_format($date, 'Y-m-d'); // 2009-02-15

edited Jun 22 '20 at 18:36

answered May 05 '11 at 10:06

Moak

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Only in PHP 5.3, unfortunately. – cam8001 May 09 '11 at 16:38
Alternative syntax: `$date = \DateTime::createFromFormat($format, $var)` – Alsciende Apr 03 '12 at 09:28

score 9 · Answer 2 · answered May 05 '11 at 09:36

9

You would typically use strtotime for that:

echo strtotime('2011-05-05 17:29:34');

From the manual:

strtotime — Parse about any English textual datetime description into a Unix timestamp

See valid date and time formats to be sure that the string you are passing in will be parsed correctly.

answered May 05 '11 at 09:36

karim79

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Sorry, I forgot to mention that I used strtotime, but as I am not based in the US, I need to control the formats – Moak May 05 '11 at 09:41

score 4 · Answer 3 · answered May 29 '13 at 09:36

4

PHP 5.4+ will print 1359674625

echo date_create_from_format('j/n/Y G:i:s','1/2/2013 1:23:45')->getTimestamp();

answered May 29 '13 at 09:36

mu3

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This is the actual correct way to do it, i.e. using the DateTime object – efx May 16 '16 at 18:41

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 28 '15 at 02:51

The accepted answer is right IMO, but you can also use the OO syntax: DateTime::createFromFormat eg:

$dateTimeObject = \DateTime::createFromFormat('G:i', '9:30');
$dateTimeObject->format('H:i');

See http://php.net/manual/en/function.date.php for formatting guides, and http://php.net/manual/en/datetime.createfromformat.php for info on the method described above.

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered May 05 '11 at 09:36

1

The function mktime seems to do what you want.

Check the help over at php.net:

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

EDIT : indeed strtotime may be more convenient for you, I did not know that function, glad to learn.

answered May 05 '11 at 09:36

Aabaz

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score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Sep 19 '13 at 11:00

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Try this to reverse:

$x = '2013-09-15';

$x = implode('-', array_reverse(explode('-', $x)));

// now $x = '15-09-2013'

answered Sep 19 '13 at 11:00

Riad

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nice, however I didn't mean I wanted to reverse the order :) – Moak Sep 23 '13 at 01:50

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered May 05 '11 at 09:37

0

Yes you can use:

echo strtotime("2011-05-05 17:29:34");

answered May 05 '11 at 09:37

Headshota

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see edit, I'm looking for the function that can dictate the format – Moak May 05 '11 at 09:43
you can use regex to validate format of your date. something like this /^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}\s\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2}$/ – Headshota May 05 '11 at 09:53

Does PHP have an inverse of the date() function (other than strtotime())?

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