PHP DateTime __construct() Failed to parse time string (xxxxxxxx) at position x
PhpDatetimePhp Problem Overview
I had this construction error when trying to creating a new DateTime object using a timestamp:
>Exception: DateTime::__construct(): Failed to parse time string (1372622987) at position 8 (8): Unexpected character in DateTime->__construct()
The object creation code is:
$start_date = new DateTime( "@{$dbResult->db_timestamp}" );
Where $dbResult->db_timestamp is a valid unix timestamp taken from a database. The timestamp in question was:
>1372622987
I would understand this error for invalid formats being passed, but this is a genuine timestamp.
The reason this is very strange: I since ran a script to create a new DateTime object with the timestamp passed in as a hard coded value, and it reported no errors.
This seems to have been a one off, but I need an explanation if there is one, as I can't afford for this to happen again.
Php Solutions
Solution 1 - Php
You should use setTimestamp instead, if you hardcode it:
$start_date = new DateTime();
$start_date->setTimestamp(1372622987);
in your case
$start_date = new DateTime();
$start_date->setTimestamp($dbResult->db_timestamp);
Solution 2 - Php
Use the createFromFormat method:
$start_date = DateTime::createFromFormat("U", $dbResult->db_timestamp);
UPDATE
I now recommend the use of Carbon
Solution 3 - Php
change your code to this
$start_date = new DateTime( "@" . $dbResult->db_timestamp );
and it will work fine
Solution 4 - Php
This worked for me.
/**
* return date in specific format, given a timestamp.
*
* @param timestamp $datetime
* @return string
*/
public static function showDateString($timestamp)
{
if ($timestamp !== NULL) {
$date = new DateTime();
$date->setTimestamp(intval($timestamp));
return $date->format("d-m-Y");
}
return '';
}
Solution 5 - Php
$start_date = new DateTime();
$start_date->setTimestamp($dbResult->db_timestamp);