strtotime() should return 0 if the argument is also 0

Question

How can I get the function strtotime() to return 0 if the argument is also 0?

In my example, $testvar2 returns "empty".

$testvar = 0;
$testvar2 = strtotime($testvar);

print_r($testvar2);

You cannot make functions do stuff that they were not designed to do. — Sverri M. Olsen, May 07 '15 at 08:18
If the variable is `0`, and you need a `0`... just use the variable. — frasertweedale, May 07 '15 at 08:29

score 4 · Answer 1 · answered May 07 '15 at 08:16

4

Its not returning empty its returning you bool(false). Check with var_dump instead of print_r.

Workaround:

$testvar2 = ($testvar) ? strtotime($testvar) : 0;

answered May 07 '15 at 08:16

Rikesh

26,156
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score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered May 07 '15 at 08:20

3

Just simply make a ternary operator, since strtotime() will return false if it fails you can simply return 0 otherwise it will return the correct value.

$testvar2 = strtotime($testvar)?:0;

answered May 07 '15 at 08:20

Rizier123

58,877
16
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156

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered May 07 '15 at 08:22

0

Simply add a check for that variable(0, false, null, not set etc.). Try with -

$testvar2= (!empty($testvar)) ? strtotime($testvar) : 0;

answered May 07 '15 at 08:22

Sougata Bose

31,517
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score 0 · Answer 4 · answered May 07 '15 at 08:23

0

function getTime($testvar){
    return ($testvar == 0)? 0 : strtotime($testvar);
}

answered May 07 '15 at 08:23

Shoaib Rehan

526
6
16

score -1 · Answer 5 · answered May 07 '15 at 08:16

-1

public static function myStrToTime($var=null)
{
    if($var)
        return strtotime($var);
    return 0;
}

No offense, but maybe you should look up some more tutorials on PHP. :)

answered May 07 '15 at 08:16

FrozenDroid

166
13

for me this is overkill – Ceeee May 07 '15 at 08:19
How is this overkill? – FrozenDroid May 07 '15 at 08:20
Why so complications? – Sougata Bose May 07 '15 at 08:21
Please, be more specific. What is complicated about this? – FrozenDroid May 07 '15 at 08:23
Why do you need the function? – Sougata Bose May 07 '15 at 08:26
You don't need the function, it's just for readability. You could of course take the code out of the function and use it that way. I really don't see the complication in my answer. – FrozenDroid May 07 '15 at 08:29
@sgtBOSE i'm pretty sure he will say for code reusability – Ceeee May 07 '15 at 08:31
Is there any need of that? – Sougata Bose May 07 '15 at 08:32

strtotime() should return 0 if the argument is also 0

5 Answers5