[SOLVED] How do I bring back the previous number of month and year?

[blurredvision]

I'm needing to create links to bring back the previous month and year in just their numbers.  I think it has to be done using something like mktime(), but I'm not at all familiar with it.  I'd like the cleanest possible solution, so that's why I'm asking you guys for help.

 

Today is June 1st, 2009.  Or, 6-2009.  I'd like a quick variable that will bring me 5-2009 (ideally, the month number and year would be separate variables).  So in my perfect world, I'd end up with $prev_month = 5; and $year = 2009;.  If today were January 15th, 2009, I'd want to end up with $prev_month = 12; and $year = 2008;.

 

Pretty simple, but I don't have any idea how to do it.  Do I use mktime(), or can I do some kind of date('n') -1;?

 

I appreciate the help and learning!

[ldougherty]

Here ya go..

 

$lastmonth = date('m-Y',mktime(0, 0, 0, date("m")-1, date("d"), date("Y")));
echo "last month is $lastmonth";

[kenrbnsn]

Another way:

<?php
list($prev_year,$prev_month) = explode('-',date('Y-m',strtotime('-1 month')));
echo 'Previous month-year: ' . $prev_month . ' - ' . $prev_year;
?>

 

Ken

[blurredvision]

Thanks guys.  I used Ken's script to great success, and I'll dissect it to implement it into my knowledge.