Question

I have looked everywhere for a simple answer to this but I have not been able to find a solution that either works or meets my requirements.

I am looping through data, that looks similar to this:

Array
(
    [0] => 4c36fd909b37208b
    [1] => event:
    [2] => start_scan
    [3] => 2012-08-17 12:01:15
)
Array
(
    [0] => 4c36fd909b37208b
    [1] => sysaction:
    [2] => lower_device
    [3] => 2012-08-17 12:01:19
)
Array
(
    [0] => 4c36fd909b37208b
    [1] => event:
    [2] => how_to_use_displayed
    [3] => 2012-08-17 12:01:46
)
Array
(
    [0] => 4c36fd909b37208b
    [1] => event:
    [2] => scan_displayed
    [3] => 2012-08-17 12:01:59
)
Array
(
    [0] => 4c36fd909b37208b
    [1] => sysaction:
    [2] => layer_1_display_on_recognition
    [3] => 2012-08-17 12:02:23
)

I want to work out the time between two dates and the result needs to be in the format HH:MM:SS.
In the example data above, I need the difference between 2012-08-17 12:01:15 and 2012-08-17 12:02:23, which should be 00:01:08.

I have tried to use the code from here: http://www.if-not-true-then-false.com/2010/php-calculate-real-differences-between-two-dates-or-timestamps/ but it keeps returning 00:00:20

I have also tried this (where the date in the first array is saved as $xpTime and the date in the last array is set to $xpEndTimeTmp):

$start = new DateTime($xpTime);
$end = new DateTime($xpEndTimeTmp);
$diff = $start->diff($end);
$xpDuration = date('H:i:s', strtotime($diff->h.':'.$diff->i.':'.$diff->s));

But that seems to be working either (it returns the same hour, minute and a different second).

I hope someone can help me, tell me what I am doing wrong, or has sample code that could that could set me on the right track!

Answer 1

$t1 = '2012-08-17 12:01:15';
$t2 = '2012-08-17 12:02:23';

echo gmdate("H:i:s", strtotime($t2) - strtotime($t1));

Result

00:01:08