How can I convert String to DateTime in PHP?

Hi,

Is there any possibility to do a type casting into datetime in PHP? I need to convert a string datetime format into a valid datetime. I read in the manual that date_create() takes a string to create a date, but not sure if this is the correct way - anyone to advice?
Thanks
Ben

 

strtotime("your date time string"); will do the trick in most cases.

 

ngcoders,
correct me if I am wrong, but is not the strtotime() function returning an integer form of the time?
I need to return a valid DateTime from the string input.
Ben

 

date_create() accepts the value returned by strtotime() as parameter.

 

just forgot to mention, that I am using PHP 4, so it should be compatible with this version. So date_create() cannot be used.
Can I then use this way?

$dtValidDateTime;
$szDate = '12/31/2007';
try
{
$dtValidDateTime = new DateTime($szDate);
}
catch(Exception $e)
{
//do something
}

 

Tell your host to upgrade to PHP 5. The support for PHP 4 officially ended 4 days ago. Sooner or later your host will be forced to upgrade anyway.

http://www.php.net/index.php#2007-07-13-1

 

well if it is up to me than I don't think too much about it, but unfortunately we need to support PHP 4, as some of our clients still use it.
thanks nico_swd and all
Ben