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Years, Days, Hours, Minutes Ago

The time_since() function returns a nicely formatted Days Ago type date. Just pass a UNIX timestamp in and you'll get the string back out.

Submitted By: skyhawk133

Actions:

Rating:

Views: 7,276

Language: PHP

Last Modified: March 2, 2005

Instructions: Call using time_since(aUNIXTimeStamp);

Returns a string.

Snippet

/* Works out the time since the entry post, takes a an argument in unix time (seconds) */
function time_since($original) {
// array of time period chunks
$chunks = array(
array(60 * 60 * 24 * 365 , 'year'),
array(60 * 60 * 24 * 30 , 'month'),
array(60 * 60 * 24 * 7, 'week'),
array(60 * 60 * 24 , 'day'),
array(60 * 60 , 'hour'),
array(60 , 'minute'),
);
$today = time(); /* Current unix time */
$since = $today - $original;
// $j saves performing the count function each time around the loop
for ($i = 0, $j = count($chunks); $i < $j; $i++) {
$seconds = $chunks[$i][0];
$name = $chunks[$i][1];
// finding the biggest chunk (if the chunk fits, break)
if (($count = floor($since / $seconds)) != 0) {
// DEBUG print "\n";
break;
}
}
$print = ($count == 1) ? '1 '.$name : "$count {$name}s";
if ($i + 1 < $j) {
// now getting the second item
$seconds2 = $chunks[$i + 1][0];
$name2 = $chunks[$i + 1][1];
// add second item if it's greater than 0
if (($count2 = floor(($since - ($seconds * $count)) / $seconds2)) != 0) {
$print .= ($count2 == 1) ? ', 1 '.$name2 : ", $count2 {$name2}s";
}
}
return $print;
}

Copy & Paste

/* Works out the time since the entry post, takes a an argument in unix time (seconds) */
function time_since($original) {
    // array of time period chunks
    $chunks = array(
        array(60 * 60 * 24 * 365 , 'year'),
        array(60 * 60 * 24 * 30 , 'month'),
        array(60 * 60 * 24 * 7, 'week'),
        array(60 * 60 * 24 , 'day'),
        array(60 * 60 , 'hour'),
        array(60 , 'minute'),
    );
    
    $today = time(); /* Current unix time  */
    $since = $today - $original;
    
    // $j saves performing the count function each time around the loop
    for ($i = 0, $j = count($chunks); $i < $j; $i++) {
        
        $seconds = $chunks[$i][0];
        $name = $chunks[$i][1];
        
        // finding the biggest chunk (if the chunk fits, break)
        if (($count = floor($since / $seconds)) != 0) {
            // DEBUG print "\n";
            break;
        }
    }
    
    $print = ($count == 1) ? '1 '.$name : "$count {$name}s";
    
    if ($i + 1 < $j) {
        // now getting the second item
        $seconds2 = $chunks[$i + 1][0];
        $name2 = $chunks[$i + 1][1];
        
        // add second item if it's greater than 0
        if (($count2 = floor(($since - ($seconds * $count)) / $seconds2)) != 0) {
            $print .= ($count2 == 1) ? ', 1 '.$name2 : ", $count2 {$name2}s";
        }
    }
    return $print;
}

Comments
Glasseater 2008-02-03 18:32:46
oooo... I like :D Thanks for sharing this one.
ludjer 2008-12-02 05:26:47
looks good gona give it a try thanks
RayRayAngel 2008-12-30 04:55:49
What if I want to go the other way? Instead of counting time since.... counting down to the original value?