PHP check if date is 30 days in the past

Question

I'm having a bit of a problem here.

I insert a date into the database: date_last_applied.

I can just call this by using $row['date_last_applied'], of course. Now, I need to check if this inserted date was 30 days ago and if so, execute an action.

$query = "SELECT date_last_applied FROM applicants WHERE memberID='$id'";
$result = mysql_query($query);

while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
    $date = strtotime($row['date_last_applied']);

}

That's about all I have.. I tried some things, but they all failed. :(

Solution 1

if ($date < strtotime('-30 days'))

If you are only performing actions on dates older than 30 days, you should use Marco's solution.

Solution 2

You could do it via SQL getting only dates in last 30 days

SELECT date_last_applied 
FROM applicants 
WHERE memberID = your_id
  AND date_last_applied BETWEEN
      DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 30 DAY) AND NOW()

or older than 30 days

SELECT date_last_applied 
FROM applicants 
WHERE memberID = your_id
  AND date_last_applied < DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 30 DAY)

Comments

[Marco]

PHP solution is correct and perhaps OP needed that. +1 for you! :)

[Brad]

+1 for yours as well... he wasn't quite clear on what he needed. :-D For all I know, he could have wanted something exactly 30 days ago, but I can't think of a time when anyone has needed that.

[Aart den Braber]

I'm also executing a code for when it's not 30 days ago. I need this solution for an other project though, so thanks!

[Aart den Braber]

Ok... I now need this code, but it definitely does not work.. :/ I'm using the time() format, which might cause this (although I think it shouldn't). It just always returns positive, whatever I do.

[Marco]

@Aart: I don't understand where you're using time(); my query return s records where date in database is between current date/time and 30 days ago... so it's using days... if you use only time it cannot work... Let me understand better...

[Aart den Braber]

Well, I'm inserting into the database: INSERT INTO applicants (date_last_applied) VALUES ('" . time() . "'). Now I'm retrieving that date, using $result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM DDFS_applicants WHERE date_last_applied < DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 1 DAY)"); while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) echo $row['id_member']; but it's not working. :( It always returns positive. Same with your other code (BETWEEN).

[Aart den Braber]

'DDFS_applicants' should have been 'applicants', but that isn't the fault in my code. Also: with "returns positive", I mean that it gives the id_member of every entry.

[Marco]

@Aart: I think the error is because you're saving only time in your database, so how system can check date too (INTERVAL 1 DAY)?

[Aart den Braber]

I don't quite get what you mean. time() is years, months, dayes and so on, right? But do you have a suggestion on how to make it work?

[Alvaro Castro]

For this solution to work, $date has to be a timestamp. If your date is not a timestamp, use this strtotime($date) < strtotime('-30 days')