date_create()

Published May 23, 2022

The date_create() function creates a new DateTime object based on a formatted date-time string passed to it, along with an optional timezone.

Syntax

date_create($datetime, $timezone)

Where $datetime is a string with a formatted date-time value. And $timezone is an optional DateTimeZone object. If omitted, the current timezone will be used.

Valid date-time formats for $datetime include the following:

Time Formats

Description	Examples
12 Hour AM/PM	“1 am”, “12P.M.”
12 Hour, Minutes, AM/PM	“1:27 am”, “12:35P.M.”
12 Hour, Minutes, Seconds, AM/PM	“1:27:16 am”, “12:35:08P.M.”
24 Hour, Minutes	“01:27”, “12.35”, “T19:43”
24 Hour, Minutes w/o colon	“0127”, “t1235”, “T1943”
24 Hour, Minutes, Seconds	“01.27.15”, “T19:43:12”
24 Hour, Minutes, Seconds w/o colon	“012715”, “T194512”

Date Formats

Description	Examples
Month, Day	“6/13”, “12/31”
Month, Day, Year	“7/4/76”, “01/01/2001”
Four Digit Year, Month, Day	“1976/7/4”, “2001/01/01”
Four Digit Year, Month, Day	“1976-7-4”, “2001-01-01”
Four Digit Year, Month	“1976-7”,”2001-01”
Day, Month, Four Digit Year	“31-12-2011”, “04.07.1976”
Day, Text Month, Year	“4 Jul 1976”,”31DEC11”
Text Month, Four Digit Year	“July 1976”, “DEC 2011”
Four Digit Year, Text Month	“1976 July”, “2011 DEC”
Text Month, Day	“July 4”, “DEC 31”
Day, Text Month	“4 July”, “31 DEC”
Month Abbreviation, Day, Year	“Jul-4-76”, “Dec-31-2011”
Year, Month Abbreviation, Day	“76-Jul-04”, “2001-DEC-31”