PHP date/time function

Question

I've an application,say the end user might be from any country but when he does some action,i want the date to be shown in a particular time zone.

I want insert this into DB so i'm doing this using date_default_timezone_set(''); with date()

Is this the right way or should i use gmdate() and add time zone.

Thanks

Of side note, realize that time in PHP is based on the webserver, not where the client is located. — Tim Dearborn
– Tim Dearborn, Commented Nov 4, 2012 at 4:12
@TimDearborn:So i can get the server time and add/subtract according to my time zone,will this work ? — ram
– ram, Commented Nov 4, 2012 at 4:26
Some of the time. Different settings for Daylight Savings Time as such could throw it off at various times of the year. You would want to use gmdate() and then adjust for your timezone, as Jesse Bunch mentioned in his answer. — Tim Dearborn
– Tim Dearborn, Commented Nov 4, 2012 at 4:33
@TimDearborn:I know to use gmdate(),how to adjust to my time zone ? — ram
– ram, Commented Nov 4, 2012 at 4:35

Jesse Bunch · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-04 04:11:02Z

1

No, don't use date_default_timezone_set() for timezone conversions. This can have unintended side-effects.

Instead, use this:

$tz = new DateTimeZone('America/Los_Angeles');

$date = new DateTime('Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:05:59 GMT');
$date->setTimeZone($tz);
echo $date->format('l F j Y g:i:s A I')."\n";

Note, you're creating the DateTime object using UTC time and then applying the timezone. This way is much cleaner.

answered Nov 4, 2012 at 4:11

Jesse Bunch

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1 Comment

ram Over a year ago

:Now when ever any one in the world uses my app,it always store date in my time zine,i mentioned,am i right.Can you see Tim Dearborn comment.

Yogendra Singh · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-04 04:11:53Z

0

If you want GMT, I think you should use the right Timezone as Europe/London

  date_default_timezone_set('Europe/London');

answered Nov 4, 2012 at 4:11

Yogendra Singh

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