DateTime::setTimestamp

date_timestamp_set

(PHP 5 >= 5.3.0, PHP 7)

DateTime::setTimestamp -- date_timestamp_set — Sets the date and time based on an Unix timestamp

Description

Object oriented style

public DateTime DateTime::setTimestamp ( int $unixtimestamp )

Procedural style

DateTime date_timestamp_set ( DateTime $object , int $unixtimestamp )

Sets the date and time based on an Unix timestamp.

Parameters

object: Procedural style only: A DateTime object returned by date_create(). The function modifies this object.
unixtimestamp: Unix timestamp representing the date.

Return Values

Returns the DateTime object for method chaining or FALSE on failure.

Examples

Example #1 DateTime::setTimestamp() example

Object oriented style


<?php
$date = new DateTime();
echo $date->format('U = Y-m-d H:i:s') . "\n";

$date->setTimestamp(1171502725);
echo $date->format('U = Y-m-d H:i:s') . "\n";
?>

Procedural style


<?php
$date = date_create();
echo date_format($date, 'U = Y-m-d H:i:s') . "\n";

date_timestamp_set($date, 1171502725);
echo date_format($date, 'U = Y-m-d H:i:s') . "\n";
?>

The above examples will output something similar to:

1272508903 = 2010-04-28 22:41:43
1171502725 = 2007-02-14 20:25:25

Notes

Using the Unix timestamp format to construct a new DateTime object is an alternative when using PHP 5.2, as shown in the example below.

Example #2 DateTime::setTimestamp() alternative in PHP 5.2


<?php
$ts = 1171502725;
$date = new DateTime("@$ts");
echo $date->format('U = Y-m-d H:i:s') . "\n";
?>

The above example will output something similar to:

1171502725 = 2007-02-14 20:25:25

User Contributed Notes

admin at torntech dot com

11 months ago


It should be noted above, be careful when manipulating the DateTime object with unix timestamps.
In the above examples you will get varying results dependent on your current timezone, method used, and version of PHP.

One would expect all of the examples above to perform the same as setTimestamp() or date('H:i', $timestamp); would.

<?php
date_default_timezone_set('America/New_York');

$ts = 1171502725;
?>

Set timestamp from UTC timezone use UTC timezone
<?php
$date = new DateTime("@$ts"); 
var_dump($date->format('Y-m-d H:i:s e'));
/*
string(26) "2007-02-15 01:25:25 +00:00" //PHP 5.3.0 - 5.6.8
*/
?>

To convert the above to use the current timezone simply use
<?php
$date->setTimezone(date_default_timezone_get());
//string(36) "2007-02-14 20:25:25 America/New_York"
?>

Set the timestamp from UTC timezone use current timezone
<?php
$date = new DateTime;
$date->modify('@' . $ts); 
var_dump($date->format('Y-m-d H:i:s e'));
/*
string(36) "2007-02-15 01:25:25 America/New_York" //PHP 5.3.6 - 5.6.8
string(36) "2052-06-20 18:53:24 America/New_York" //PHP 5.3.0 - 5.3.5
*/
?>

Set the timestamp from current timezone use current timezone
<?php
$date = new DateTime;
$date->setTimestamp($ts); 
var_dump($date->format('Y-m-d H:i:s e'));
/*
string(36) "2007-02-14 20:25:25 America/New_York" //PHP 5.3.0 - 5.6.8
*/
?>

Arnb

2 years ago


When you need to manipulate a unix timestamp like field (seconds since 1970-01-01) that may be greater than the drop dead date of 2038-01-19.

<?php

function secs2date($secs,$date)
    {
    if ($secs>2147472000)    //2038-01-19 expire dt
        {
        $date->setTimestamp(2147472000);
        $s=$secs-2147472000;
        $date->add(new DateInterval('PT'.$s.'S'));
        }
    else
        $date->setTimestamp($secs);
    }

function date2secs($date,$datebeg)
    {
    $diff = $datebeg->diff($date);
    $secs=$diff->format('%a') * (60*60*24);  //total days
    $secs+=$diff->format('%h') * (60*60);     //hours
    $secs+=$diff->format('%i') * 60;              //minutes
    $secs+=$diff->format('%s');                     //seconds
    return $secs;
    }

$datebeg = new DateTime('1970-01-01');
$date=new dateTime();

$secs=2017472000;  //2033-12-06 08:53:20
secs2date($secs,$date);
$dt=$date->format('Y-m-d H:i:s');
echo $dt."<br>";
$sec2=date2secs($date,$datebeg);
echo '(1) ',$sec2,'***',$secs,'<br>';

$secs=2397472000; //2045-12-21 12:26:40
secs2date($secs,$date);
$dt=$date->format('Y-m-d H:i:s');
echo $dt."<br>";
$sec2=date2secs($date,$datebeg);
echo '(2) ',$sec2,'***',$secs,'<br>';
?>

Use Web Form at Aouie.net

5 years ago


When the exact time is important then it is important to note the difference between this and the UnixTimeStamp. The function will change the timestamp if necessary to take into account the daylight savings time.
e.g. Working with the 'Europe/London' timezone and setting the DateTime object to a timestamp of 1288486753 will result in the function automatically altering it to 1288490353.
This is because it is taking the fall time instead of the summer time (they will both be Sun, 31-Oct-2010 01:X:Y (I didn't check the hour and minute)).
Sincerely,
Aouie

linblow at hotmail dot fr