PHP DateTime - sub() Method
The PHP DateTime::sub() method subtracts the specified interval (days, months, years, hours, minutes and seconds) from the given DateTime object. The date_sub() function is an alias of this method.
Syntax
//Object-oriented style public DateTime::sub(interval) //Procedural style date_sub(object, interval)
Parameters
object |
Required. For procedural style only: A DateTime object returned by date_create(). |
interval |
Required. A DateInterval object specifying the interval to be subtracted.
|
Return Value
Returns the DateTime object with subtracted interval on success, otherwise returns false.
Example: using both styles
The example below shows the usage of DateTime::sub() method.
<?php //datetime string $datetime_string = "24-Dec-2015"; //creating a DateTime object $date = new DateTime($datetime_string); //creating a DateInterval object $interval = new DateInterval('P5D'); //subtracting interval using Object-oriented style $date->sub($interval); //formatting the datetime to print it echo $date->format("d-M-Y")."\n"; //subtracting interval using Procedural style date_sub($date, $interval); //formatting the datetime to print it echo $date->format("d-M-Y")."\n"; ?>
The output of the above code will be:
19-Dec-2015 14-Dec-2015
Example: Subtracting Days, Months & Years
Consider the example below which explains how to subtract days, months and years to a given DateTime object.
<?php //datetime string $datetime_string = "14-May-2015"; //creating a DateTime object $date = new DateTime($datetime_string); //creating a DateInterval object $interval = new DateInterval('P1Y2M10D'); //formatting the datetime to print it echo "Original date: ".$date->format("d-M-Y")."\n"; //subtracting 1 year 2 months 10 days $date->sub($interval); //formatting the datetime to print it echo "Modified date: ".$date->format("d-M-Y")."\n"; ?>
The output of the above code will be:
Original date: 14-May-2015 Modified date: 04-Mar-2014
Example: Subtracting Hours, Minutes and Seconds
The example below illustrates how to subtract hours, minutes and seconds to a given DateTime object.
<?php //datetime string $datetime_string = "14-May-2015"; //creating a DateTime object $date = new DateTime($datetime_string); //creating a DateInterval object $interval = new DateInterval('PT5H30M45S'); //formatting the datetime to print it echo "Original DateTime: ".$date->format("d-M-Y H:i:s")."\n"; //subtracting 5 hours 30 minutes 45 seconds $date->sub($interval); //formatting the datetime to print it echo "Modified DateTime: ".$date->format("d-M-Y H:i:s")."\n"; ?>
The output of the above code will be:
Original DateTime: 14-May-2015 00:00:00 Modified DateTime: 13-May-2015 18:29:15
Example: Subtracting Days, Months, Years, Hours, Minutes and Seconds
The example below illustrates how to subtract days, months, years, hours, minutes and seconds to a given DateTime object.
<?php //datetime string $datetime_string = "14-May-2015"; //creating a DateTime object $date = new DateTime($datetime_string); //creating a DateInterval object $interval = new DateInterval('P1Y2M10DT5H30M45S'); //formatting the datetime to print it echo "Original DateTime: ".$date->format("d-M-Y H:i:s")."\n"; //subtracting 1 year 2 months 10 days 5 hours 30 minutes 45 seconds $date->sub($interval); //formatting the datetime to print it echo "Modified DateTime: ".$date->format("d-M-Y H:i:s")."\n"; ?>
The output of the above code will be:
Original DateTime: 14-May-2015 00:00:00 Modified DateTime: 03-Mar-2014 18:29:15
Example: Creating DateInterval object from Date String
A DateInterval object can be created using date_interval_create_from_date_string() method. Consider the example below:
<?php //datetime string $datetime_string = "14-May-2015"; //creating a DateTime object $date = new DateTime($datetime_string); //creating a DateInterval object $interval = date_interval_create_from_date_string('1 year 100 days'); //formatting the datetime to print it echo "Original DateTime: ".$date->format("d-M-Y")."\n"; //subtracting 1 year 100 days $date->sub($interval); //formatting the datetime to print it echo "Modified DateTime: ".$date->format("d-M-Y")."\n"; ?>
The output of the above code will be:
Original DateTime: 14-May-2015 Modified DateTime: 03-Feb-2014
Example: Subtracting Months
Be cautious, when subtracting months. Consider the example below:
<?php //datetime string $datetime_string = "31-Mar-2015"; //creating a DateTime object $date = new DateTime($datetime_string); //creating a DateInterval object $interval = new DateInterval('P1M'); //formatting the datetime to print it echo "Original DateTime: ".$date->format("d-M-Y")."\n"; //subtracting 1 month $date->sub($interval); //formatting the datetime to print it echo "Modified DateTime: ".$date->format("d-M-Y")."\n"; ?>
The output of the above code will be:
Original DateTime: 31-Mar-2015 Modified DateTime: 03-Mar-2015
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