Use mysql datetime to show difference between 2 times

[monkeytooth]

I have a timestamp in DATETIME format (Y-m-d H:i:s), this time stamp when generated generates for a time in the future. Say a day or 2 from now for example. What I am trying to figure out is How do i compare the diffrence of the current time and the future time thats stored.

 

im not sure if I should use strtotime() or something else with the mysql time stamp to make it something I can work with in PHP. Or maybe Im thinking wrong and theres an easier way.

[themistral]

Have a look at the DATEDIFF function - this seems like what you might need.

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/date-and-time-functions.html#function_datediff

[monkeytooth]

That is good i didnt know I could do that within sql itself and will be handy for something else im intent on doing later, but Im trying to do currently is create a timestamp client side one thats not stored in the database and then compare to the one stored in the database. Im just confused a bit as how to do that, I recently made the jump to using sql timestamps so they are still a little grey to me as how to work with them within php do I convert them to a unix timestamp format someway or is there a way to check the one generated client side vs the one I am pulling out of the DB through the script.

[jagdish kothapalle]

Hi,

 

To make it on an illustrative note, you have to convert into timestamp to calculate the difference.

 

time() function is a php function which gives the current timestamp

 

unix_timestamp(date) gives you the timestamp of your stored date.

 

You can use these two timestamp variables in php to calculate the difference which will be in seconds