How to show Time difference using Facebook Twitter style

In order to show the time difference in Facebook Twitter style using PHP, use the following code:

<?php

function time_difference($date)
{
if(empty($date)) {
return "Please provide date.";
}

$periods = array("second", "minute", "hour", "day", "week", "month", "year", "decade");
$lengths = array("60","60","24","7","4.35","12","10");

$now = time();
$unix_date = strtotime($date);

// check validity of date
if(empty($unix_date)) {
return "Invalid date";
}

//Check to see if it is past date or future date
if($now > $unix_date) {
$difference = $now - $unix_date;
$tense = "ago";

} else {
$difference = $unix_date - $now;
$tense = "from now";
}

for($j = 0; $difference >= $lengths[$j] && $j < count($lengths)-1; $j++) {
$difference /= $lengths[$j];
}

$difference = round($difference);

if($difference != 1) {
$periods[$j].= "s";
}

return "$difference $periods[$j] {$tense}";
}

//Current date and time
$current_date = date("Y-m-d G:i");
echo 'Current Date: '.$current_date.'<br />';
$elapsed_time = time_difference($current_date);
echo $elapsed_time.'<br />';
//Ouputs: 53 seconds ago

//Past date and time
$past_date = date("2010-1-1 12:00");
$elapsed_time = time_difference($past_date);
echo $elapsed_time.'<br />';
//Ouputs: 2 years ago

//Future date and time
$future_date = date("2013-1-1 12:00");
$elapsed_time = time_difference($future_date);
echo $elapsed_time.'<br />';
//Ouputs: 11 months from now
?>

That’s it!

Do you know of any other ways to display the time difference in Facebook/Twitter style? If yes, we would love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below.

PHP Add Date, Months, Years to current date

//For simplicity, I have selected American date format as I am used to it.
//You may select any format that your application uses, such as date("d-m-Y")
//or date("Y-m-d"), etc.

$current_date = date("m-d-Y");
echo "Current Date: ".$current_date."<br />";

//Add 1 Day to current date i.e. today
$add_day = strtotime(date("m-d-Y", strtotime($current_date)) . "+1 day");
echo "After adding 1 Day: ".date('m-d-y', $add_day)."<br />";
//Add 10 Days to current date
$add_days = strtotime(date("m-d-Y", strtotime($current_date)) . "+10 day");
echo "After adding 10 Days: ".date('m-d-Y', $add_days)."<br />";

//Add 1 Month to current date
$add_month = strtotime(date("m-d-Y", strtotime($current_date)) . "+1 month");
echo "After adding 1 Month: ".date('m-d-Y', $add_month)."<br />";
//Add 10 Months to current date
$add_months = strtotime(date("m-d-Y", strtotime($current_date)) . "+10 month");
echo "After adding 10 Months: ".date('m-d-Y', $add_months)."<br />";

//Add 1 Year to current date
$add_year = strtotime(date("m-d-Y", strtotime($current_date)) . "+1 year");
echo "After adding 1 Year: ".date('m-d-Y', $add_year)."<br />";
//Add 10 Years to current date
$add_years = strtotime(date("m-d-Y", strtotime($current_date)) . "+10 year");
echo "After adding 10 Years: ".date('m-d-Y', $add_years)."<br />";

//Results:
Current Date: 02-04-2012
After adding 1 Day: 02-05-12
After adding 10 Days: 02-14-2012
After adding 1 Month: 03-04-2012
After adding 10 Months: 12-04-2012
After adding 1 Year: 02-04-2013
After adding 10 Years: 02-04-2022

That’s it!

I am sure that there are other ways to do this. Do you know of any other ways to add date, month and year using PHP? If yes, we would love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below.

How to Validate Twitter Username using PHP

Use the following code to validate Twitter Username using PHP:

<?php
function validate_twitter_username($username)
{
$twitter_url='http://api.twitter.com/1/users/show/'.$username.'.xml';

$init = curl_init();
curl_setopt ($init, CURLOPT_URL, $twitter_url);
curl_setopt ($init, CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT, 20);
curl_setopt($init, CURLOPT_NOBODY, 1);
curl_setopt($init, CURLOPT_HEADER, 1);
curl_setopt($init, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);

curl_exec($init);
$result_header = curl_getinfo($init, CURLINFO_HTTP_CODE);
curl_close($init);

// IF username does note exist, then it means its avilable for registration
if( '404' == $result_header )
{
return 'Username is available.';
}
else
{
// This means username is already taken
return 'Username already taken.';
}
}

//Enter the username you want to check below and that's it.
$username = 'extreme';

echo validate_twitter_username($username);
?>

That’s it!

Do you know a simpler way to validate twitter username? If yes, please share it with us in your comments below.