The format Method of the DateInterval Class

The format method of the DateInterval class converts a time interval into a string representation according to the specified format. It accepts a format string containing special characters as a parameter and returns a formatted string.

Syntax

public DateInterval::format(string $format): string

Special Characters

Specifier	Description	Example
`%Y`	Number of years (at least `2 digits)`	01, 12
`%y`	Number of years (without leading zeros)	1, 12
`%M`	Number of months (at least `2 digits)`	01, 11
`%m`	Number of months (without leading zeros)	1, 11
`%D`	Number of days (at least `2 digits)`	01, 31
`%d`	Number of days (without leading zeros)	1, 31
`%H`	Number of hours (at least `2 digits)`	01, 23
`%h`	Number of hours (without leading zeros)	1, 23
`%I`	Number of minutes (at least `2 digits)`	01, 59
`%i`	Number of minutes (without leading zeros)	1, 59
`%S`	Number of seconds (at least `2 digits)`	01, 59
`%s`	Number of seconds (without leading zeros)	1, 59
`%R`	Interval sign (+ or -)	+, -
`%r`	Interval sign with explicit indication (- if negative)	, -
`%%`	Percent symbol	%

Example

Formatting an interval in days and hours:

<?php
	$interval = new DateInterval('P2DT5H');
	echo $interval->format('%d days, %h hours');
?>

Code execution result:

'2 days, 5 hours'

Example

Formatting an interval in full representation:

<?php
	$interval = new DateInterval('P1Y3M5DT7H10M');
	echo $interval->format('%y years %m months %d days %h hours %i minutes');
?>

Code execution result:

'1 years 3 months 5 days 7 hours 10 minutes'

Example

Formatting an interval with leading zeros:

<?php
	$interval = new DateInterval('PT5H3M');
	echo $interval->format('%H:%I');
?>

Code execution result:

'05:03'

The format Method of the DateInterval Class

Syntax

Special Characters

Example

Example

Example

See Also