Format a date, using PHP date(), strftime() or other special strings (see arguments).

This is designed to work the same wa as PHP’s date() but be able to accept any common format used in ProcessWire. This is helpful in reducing code in places where you might have logic determining when to use date(), strftime(), or wireRelativeTimeStr().

This is the procedural version of the $datetime->date() method.

Please note this method is and thus not intended to be called directly.

Example

echo wireDate('Y-m-d H:i:s'); // Outputs: 2019-01-20 06:48:11
echo wireDate('relative', '2019-01-20 06:00'); // Outputs: 48 minutes ago

Internal usage

// basic internal usage
$string = wireDate();

// internal usage with all arguments
$string = wireDate($format = '', $ts = null);

Arguments

NameType(s)Description
$format (optional)string int

Use any PHP date() or strftime() format, or one of the following:

  • relative for a relative date/time string.
  • relative- for a relative date/time string with no tense.
  • rel for an abbreviated relative date/time string.
  • rel- for an abbreviated relative date/time string with no tense.
  • r for an extra-abbreviated relative date/time string.
  • r- for an extra-abbreviated relative date/time string with no tense.
  • ts makes it return a unix timestamp.
  • Specify blank string to make it use the system date format ($config->dateFormat) .
  • If given an integer and no second argument specified, it is assumed to be the second ($ts) argument.
$ts (optional)int string null

Optionally specify the date/time stamp or strtotime() compatible string. If not specified, current time is used.

Return value

string bool

Formatted date/time, or boolean false on failure

Functions methods and properties

API reference based on ProcessWire core version 3.0.252