Convert date data from a 2d array into a formatted string of dates using hyphenation to represent consecutive date ranges

Question

I have an array like:

array(
    ['march'] => array(
        '2', '3', '4', '5', '6', '23', '24', '25', '30'
    );
);

I need to convert that into:

03/02/2012 - 03/06/2012
03/23/2012 - 03/25/2012
03/30/2012

I'm not interested in the solution. I am interested in seeing what you have tried before asking the question, e.g. in the code that didnt work. — Gordon
– Gordon, Commented Mar 4, 2012 at 18:12

mickmackusa · Accepted Answer · 2024-06-03 08:15:26Z

1

You can find the consecutive timespans by looping through your array like so:

    $months = array(
        'march' => array(
            '2', '3', '4', '5', '6', '23', '24', '25', '30'
        )
    );

    $current_day = 0;
    $span_start = 0;
    $span_end = 0;

    foreach($months['march'] as $day) {

      if ($day > ++$current_day) {
        $current_day = $day;

        if ($span_start) {
          // print it out:
          echo "$span_start..$span_end\n";
        }

        $span_start = $day;
      }

      $span_end = $day;

    }

    // print the last one:
    echo "$span_start..$span_end";

Output: (Demo)

2..6
23..25
30..30

For formatting/parsing/printing the dates, however, others' suggestion to use the built in time and date functions are absolutely correct.

edited Jun 3, 2024 at 8:15

mickmackusa♦

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answered Mar 4, 2012 at 17:49

rjz

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1 Comment

rjz Over a year ago

You'll need to change the output to meet your needs, of course, but hopefully this illustrates grabbing the date range.

mickmackusa · Accepted Answer · 2024-06-03 08:19:58Z

My solution below will pre-define the year to accompany your date data for consistency. Although you only have one month listed, I'll design the script with the intent to handle multiple months.

Use nested loops to iterate over your input data. Keep track of the previously encountered day number to determine if hyphenation is needed. Push reference elements into the result and extend those references until a non-consecutive day is encountered.

Code: (Demo)

function rangify(array $daysByMonth, $y = '2012'): string {
    $result = [];
    foreach ($daysByMonth as $m => $days) {
        $lastD = null;
        foreach ($days as $d) {
            if (($d - 1) == $lastD) {
                $ref = preg_replace('/ -[^-]+$/', '', $ref) . date(' - m/d/Y', strtotime("$d $m $y"));
            } else {
                unset($ref);
                $ref = date('m/d/Y', strtotime("$d $m $y"));
                $result[] =& $ref;
            }
            $lastD = $d;
        }
    }
    return implode("\n", $result);
}

$months = [
    'march' => [
        '2', '3', '4', '5', '6', '23', '24', '25', '30'
    ],
    'june' => [
        '3', '4', '5'
    ]
];
echo rangify($months);

Output:

03/02/2012 - 03/06/2012
03/23/2012 - 03/25/2012
03/30/2012
06/03/2012 - 06/05/2012

yehuda · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-04 17:44:16Z

-1

$array = array(
    '2', '3', '4', '5', '6', '23', '24', '25', '30'
);

foreach($array as $date){
     echo '03/'.$date.'/2012;
}

You may need to add a zero before single unit dates!

answered Mar 4, 2012 at 17:44

yehuda

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3 Comments

Josh Over a year ago

This isn't using the expected input.

David Lawrence Over a year ago

Yea that would just echo out each day, I need to pull 2 to 6 then 23 to 25 and 30th seperately

yehuda Over a year ago

Oh i get it, was a pleasure anyway! Cheers!

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