Converting ISO 8601 datetime to MySQL datetime in WordPress

The iso8601_to_datetime function in WordPress is designed to convert date and time from ISO 8601 format to a DateTime object. ISO 8601 is an international standard that covers the exchange of date and time-related data. This function takes a string in ISO 8601 format and returns it as a DateTime object, which can then be used in various ways within a WordPress environment.

One of the main uses of this function is to facilitate the handling of date and time data in WordPress. The DateTime object it returns is more flexible and easier to work with in PHP, the programming language that WordPress is built on. This makes the iso8601_to_datetime function a crucial part of dealing with date and time data in WordPress, especially when such data is received in ISO 8601 format.

Parameters

The iso8601_to_datetime function in WordPress accepts two parameters:

  • $date_string (string): This is a required parameter. It represents the date and time in ISO 8601 format. For more information about this format, visit ISO 8601.
  • $timezone (string): This is an optional parameter with a default value of ‘user’. If this parameter is set to ‘gmt’, the function will return the result in UTC. If not specified, the default setting of ‘user’ will be used.

Return Value

The iso8601_to_datetime function returns a string or false. The string represents the date and time in the MySQL DateTime format – Y-m-d H:i:s. If the function fails, it will return false.

Examples

Example 1: How to convert ISO8601 date to a DateTime object

$date = '2022-06-01T15:30:00+00:00';
$new_date = iso8601_to_datetime($date);
echo '<p>The converted date is: ' . $new_date->format('Y-m-d H:i:s') . '</p>';

In this example, we’re converting an ISO8601 date string into a DateTime object using the iso8601_to_datetime function. The date string is stored in the $date variable and the converted date is stored in the $new_date variable. We then output the converted date in ‘Y-m-d H:i:s’ format.

Example 2: How to handle invalid ISO8601 date

$date = 'invalid date';
$new_date = iso8601_to_datetime($date);
if ($new_date === false) {
 echo '<p>The provided date is not a valid ISO8601 date.</p>';
} else {
 echo '<p>The converted date is: ' . $new_date->format('Y-m-d H:i:s') . '</p>';
}

In this example, we’re handling an invalid ISO8601 date string. If the iso8601_to_datetime function returns false, it means that the provided date is not a valid ISO8601 date. We then display an appropriate message. If the date is valid, we display the converted date.

Conclusion

The iso8601_to_datetime function in WordPress is a utility that converts a date in ISO 8601 format into a datetime string that is compatible with MySQL. This conversion is particularly useful in instances where data in ISO 8601 format needs to be stored in a MySQL database or when it needs to be manipulated using PHP’s date and time functions. The function’s output, a datetime string, can be directly used in SQL queries or passed to PHP date and time functions for further processing.

Related WordPress Functions

in WordPress Functions