Question

I found this script on php.net and finds the difference between now and a future day. My question is very simple, but is a sample time or how can I make that time that it is needed for the $future_date ? Also what is the purpose of -1970 ?

Also how can I show a message when the future_date is reached or passed?

<?php
function time_difference($endtime){
    $days= (date("j",$endtime)-1);
    $months =(date("n",$endtime)-1);
    $years =(date("Y",$endtime)-1970);
    $hours =date("G",$endtime);
    $mins =date("i",$endtime);
    $secs =date("s",$endtime);
    $diff="'day': ".$days.",'month': ".$months.",'year': ".$years.",'hour': ".$hours.",'min': ".$mins.",'sec': ".$secs;
    return $diff;
}   
$end_time = $future_date - time();
$difference = time_difference($end_time);
echo $difference;

//sample output
'day': 2,'month': 1,'year': 0,'hour': 2,'min': 05,'sec': 41

?>

Answer 1

Below would set $future_date to 1st Dec 2011

$future_date = mktime(0, 0, 0, 12, 1, 2011);

So Hour Min Sec goes:

$future_date = mktime(H, M, S, 12, 1, 2011);

Below would be 13:21:59 1st Dec 2011

$future_date = mktime(13, 21, 59, 12, 1, 2011);