Base Concepts of Internationalization in PHP : Page 4

Using the I18N_DateTime Class
Localizing dates and times follows a similar pattern, using the I18N_DateTime class. The class formats dates and times according to a specified locale and format mode, which may be a custom format. The prototypes of the most commonly-used methods are:

• string format([int $timestamp = null], [int $format = null]): Returns the formatted timestamp according to the specified format ($format). The $format argument takes one of these values: I18N_DATETIME_SHORT, I18N_DATETIME_DEFAULT, I18N_DATETIME_MEDIUM, I18N_DATETIME_LONG, I18N_DATETIME_FULL.
• string formatFull([int $timestamp = null]): Returns a fully-formatted timestamp (equivalent to: format($timestamp , I18N_DATETIME_FULL).
• string formatLong([int $timestamp = null]): Returns a long-formatted timestamp (equivalent to: format($timestamp , I18N_DATETIME_LONG).
• string formatShort([int $timestamp = null]): Returns a short-formatted timestamp (equivalent to: format($timestamp , I18N_DATETIME_SHORT).
• string formatDate([int $timestamp = null], [int $format = null]): Returns only the formatted date. If the $format argument is missing the method uses the default format for the current locale.

Other included self-explanatory methods are: formatDateFull, formatDateLong, and formatDateShort. You can format just the time portion of a date/time value using:

Figure 2. Date/Time Entry Interface: This example uses dropdowns to let users select a date and time, which it then displays appropriately for several different locales.

• string formatTime([int $timestamp = null], [int $format = null]): This function returns only the formatted time. If the $format argument is missing then the function uses the default format for the current locale.

Similar to dates, other available methods are formatTimeFull, formatTimeLong, and formatTimeShort.

The application in Listing 2 formats a timestamp (date + time). Again, the application sets up a simple data-entry interface (see Figure 2), and shows the output for several different locales.

The output of this application is:

   es_ES
   Date and Time format
   format: 07-sep-1980 11:20:30   
   formatFull: domingo, 07 de septiembre de 1980 11:20 EET +0200   
   formatLong: 07 septiembre 1980 11:20:30 EET +0200   
   formatShort: 07/09/80 11:20
   
   Only Date format
   formatDate: 07-sep-1980   
   formatDateFull: domingo, 07 de septiembre de 1980   
   formatDateLong: 07 septiembre 1980   
   formatDateShort: 07/09/80
   
   Only Time format
   formatTime: 11:20:30   
   formatTimeFull: 11:20 EET +0200   
   formatTimeLong: 11:20:30 EET +0200   
   formatTimeLong: 11:20   
   ===============================================================
   
   fr_FR
   Date and Time format
   format: 07-sep-1980 11:20:30   
   formatFull: dimanche, 07 de septembre de 1980 11:20 EET +0200   
   formatLong: 07 septembre 1980 11:20:30 EET +0200   
   formatShort: 07/09/80 11:20
   
   Only Date format
   formatDate: 07-sep-1980   
   formatDateFull: dimanche, 07 de septembre de 1980   
   formatDateLong: 07 septembre 1980   
   formatDateShort: 07/09/80
   
   Only Time format
   formatTime: 11:20:30   
   formatTimeFull: 11:20 EET +0200   
   formatTimeLong: 11:20:30 EET +0200   
   formatTimeLong: 11:20   
   ===============================================================
   
   it_IT
   Date and Time format
   format: 07 Set 1980 11:20:30   
   formatFull: Domenica 07 Settembre 1980 11:20   
   formatLong: 07 Settembre 1980 11:20:30 EET +0200   
   formatShort: 07/09/80 11:20
   
   Only Date format
   formatDate: 07 Set 1980   
   formatDateFull: Domenica 07 Settembre 1980   
   formatDateLong: 07 Settembre 1980   
   formatDateShort: 07/09/80
   
   Only Time format
   formatTime: 11:20:30   
   formatTimeFull: 11:20   
   formatTimeLong: 11:20:30 EET +0200   
   formatTimeLong: 11:20   
   ===============================================================
   
   en_US
   Date and Time format
   format: 07-Sep-1980 11:20:30   
   formatFull: Sunday, 07 September 1980 11:20 o'clock EET +0200   
   formatLong: 07 September 1980 11:20:30 EET +0200   
   formatShort: 07/09/80 11:20
   
   Only Date format
   formatDate: 07-Sep-1980   
   formatDateFull: Sunday, 07 September 1980   
   formatDateLong: 07 September 1980   
   formatDateShort: 07/09/80
   
   Only Time format
   formatTime: 11:20:30   
   formatTimeFull: 11:20 o'clock EET +0200   
   formatTimeLong: 11:20:30 EET +0200   
   formatTimeLong: 11:20   
   ===============================================================

Defining Custom Formats
To define a custom format for dates and/or times you can use these methods:

• int setFormat([string $format = I18N_DATETIME_DEFAULT]): Defines a custom format for dates and times specified by the $format argument.
• int setDateFormat([string $format = I18N_DATETIME_DEFAULT]): Defines a custom format for dates specified by the $format argument.
• int setTimeFormat([string $format = I18N_DATETIME_DEFAULT]): Defines a custom format for times specified by the $format argument.

The following code shows an example of defining a custom format for dates/times:

   <?php
        
      require_once 'I18N/DateTime.php';
   
      //Create an instance of the I18N_DateTime class
      $dateTime = new I18N_DateTime( 'en_US' );
   
      // Get the default format
      print 'The default current date and time is:  ';
      $dateTime->setFormat();
      print( $dateTime->format() ).'<br />';
   
      //Get the current date and time in a custom format 
      print 'A custom format for current date and time is: ';
      $myFormat = $dateTime->setFormat('d.m.Y , l  H:i:s');
      print $dateTime->format().'<br />';              
   
      //Get the custom date format only
      print 'A custom format only for the date is: ';
      $myDateFormat = $dateTime->setDateFormat(
         '\T\o\d\a\y \i\s l \, d \* m \* y ');
      print( $dateTime->formatDate() ).'<br />';
   
      //Get the custom time format only
      print 'A custom format only for the time is: ';
      $myTimeFormat = $dateTime->setTimeFormat(
         '\T\h\e \f\o\r\m\a\t\e\d \c\u\r\r\e\n\t  
         \t\i\m\e \i\s \: H \H\o\u\r\s i \M\i\n\u\t\e\s \a\n\d s \S\e\c\o\n\d\s');
      print( $dateTime->formatTime() ).'<br />';
   
   ?>

The output of this application is:

   The default current date and time is: 
      26-Jun-2008 10:40:11   
   A custom format for current date and time is: 
      26.06.2008 , Thursday 10:40:11   
   A custom format only for the date is: 
      Today is Thursday , 26 * 06 * 08    
   A custom format only for the time is: 
      The formatted current time is : 
      10 Hours 40 Minutes and 11 Seconds

You've seen some base concepts required for internationalization and how to achieve number, currency, date, and time formatting using the I18N package. Using these basic functions, you're well on your way toward building internationalized web sites that display values appropriately for the user's locale.

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