How to compare current date to previous date in iphone?

Question

I would like to compare the current date with another date, and if that is date is earlier than the current date, then I should stop the next action. How can I do this?

I have todays date in yyyy-MM-dd format. I need to check this condition

if([displaydate text]<currentdate)
{
    //stop next action 
}

Here if displaydate is less than todays date then it has to enter that condition.

Solution 1

NSDate *today = [NSDate date]; // it will give you current date
NSDate *newDate = [dateFormatter dateWithString:@"xxxxxx"]; // your date 

NSComparisonResult result; 
//has three possible values: NSOrderedSame,NSOrderedDescending, NSOrderedAscending

result = [today compare:newDate]; // comparing two dates

if(result==NSOrderedAscending)
    NSLog(@"today is less");
else if(result==NSOrderedDescending)
    NSLog(@"newDate is less");
else
    NSLog(@"Both dates are same");

got your solution from this answer How to compare two dates in Objective-C

Solution 2

Alternative to @NNitin Gohel's answer.

Compare using NSTimeInterval ie NSDate timeIntervalSince1970:

NSTimeInterval *todayTimeInterval = [[NSDate date] timeIntervalSince1970];
NSTimeInterval *previousTimeInterval = [previousdate timeIntervalSince1970];

if(previousTimeInterval < todayTimeInterval)
   //prevous date is less than today
else if (previousTimeInterval == todayTimeInterval)
   //both date are equal
else 
   //prevous date is greater than today

Comments

[Honey]

I have to get todays date in yyyy-MM-dd format and for that I m doing like this : now = [NSDate date]; NSDateFormatter *df=[[[NSDateFormatter alloc]init] autorelease]; df.dateFormat = @"yyyy-MM-dd"; and now I need to compare this with a Datepicker selected date which should also be in yyyy-MM-dd format..This is what I m doing NSDateFormatter *df=[[[NSDateFormatter alloc]init] autorelease]; df.dateFormat = @"yyyy-MM-dd"; NSArray *temp=[[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@",[df stringFromDate:DatePicker.date]] componentsSeparatedByString:@""];How can I proceed further ?

[Honey]

When I try ur code im getting err.I have to get todays date in yyyy-MM-dd format and for that Im doing like this : now = [NSDate date]; NSDateFormatter *df=[[[NSDateFormatter alloc]init] autorelease]; df.dateFormat = @"yyyy-MM-dd"; and now I need to compare this with a Datepicker selected date which should also be in yyyy-MM-dd format..This is what Im doing NSDateFormatter *df=[[[NSDateFormatter alloc]init] autorelease]; df.dateFormat = @"yyyy-MM-dd"; NSArray *temp=[[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@",[df stringFromDate:DatePicker.date]] componentsSeparatedByString:@""];How can I proceed further?

[Honey]

It is not equal to I should compare whether it is less than todays date ?

[Honey]

how can I compare this date with the datepickers selected date which is also in yyyy-MM-dd.I took datepickers date in NSArray .

[Paras Joshi]

see this answer.. stackoverflow.com/questions/949416/…

[Paras Joshi]

yes its also easy you have an array you can compare it with [yourArray objectAtIndex:intValue]; // here give integer value

[Nitin Gohel]

check my updated answer visit the link in my answerd i defiantly sure u got your solution my frnd

[Honey]

In the above answer u gave I have modified it as NSDate *newDate=[NSDate dateWithString:@"%@",[displaydate text]];but I m getting newDate as nil eventhough there is value in displaydate i.e 2011-11-02..Can u please tell me y ?

[Honey]

@Joshi I have tried this : now = [NSDate date]; NSDateFormatter *df=[[[NSDateFormatter alloc]init] autorelease]; df.dateFormat = @"yyyy-MM-dd"; How to take it in a some variable and then compare because when i see in formatter it is showing <NSDateFormatter: 0x4e5d320> and then I have date in textfield like this :2011-11-02 .How can I compare Please tell me

[Nischal Hada]

Its great dude.. It helps me out

[Krutarth Patel]

@NitinGohel Great Solution