Working with Zend_Date is funny but there is one thing i need and its not integrated in Zend_Date until now. So ive written my own extension to Zend_Date to handle the display of relative dates in my output.

Here are some examples of relative Dates which could be generated by this Script:

• A minute ago
• x minutes ago (up to 59)
• Today, HH:MM
• Yesterday, HH:MM

Unterneath, you can see my class. Feel free to use it in your own projects.

/**
 * My Relative Date extension to Zend Frameworks Zend_Date Class
 *
 * @author Bernhard Rosenberger
 * @copyright Copyright (c) 2009 Bernhard Rosenberger (http://www.redbb.org)
 */
 
/**
 * Include needed Date classes
 */
require_once( 'Zend/Date.php' );
 
class Application_myScripts_Date extends Zend_Date
{
     private $useminuteago = true;
 
     private $usehour = true;
 
     private $usetoday = true;
 
     private $useyesterday = true;
 
     public function getRelativeDate( $timestamp=null, $format=null, $config=null, $part=null, $locale=null ) {
         if ( $timestamp === null ) {
             $timestamp = time();
         }
 
         self::set( $timestamp );
 
         // To we have own settings?
         if ( is_array( $config ) ) {
             foreach( $config AS $key => $value ) {
                 $this->$key = $value;
             }
         }
 
         // Try to get a Translator
         // It must be set as Zend_translate in the registry,
         // else it will not work and standard english will be returned
         $translate = null;
         if ( Zend_Registry::isRegistered( 'Zend_Translate' ) ) {
             $translate = Zend_Registry::get( 'Zend_Translate' );
         }
 
         // Check if the timestamp is smaller than 1 minute ago
         if ( time() - $timestamp < 61 && $this->useminuteago ) {
             // its smaller than one minute
             if ( $translate === null ) {
                 return "A minute ago";
             } else {
                 return $translate->translate( "A minute ago" );
             }
         }
 
         // Check if the timestamp is smaller than 60 minutes
         if ( time() - $timestamp < 3600 && $this->usehour ) {
             // its a in hour date, return it
             $minute = round( ( time() - $timestamp ) / 60 );
             if ( $translate === null ) {
                 return $minute . " minutes ago";
             } else {
                 return $minute . $translate->translate( " minutes ago" );
             }
         }
 
         // Check if the timestamp is today
         if ( self::isToday() && $this->usetoday ) {
             // Its today
             if ( $translate === null ) {
                 return "Today, " . self::get( Zend_Date::TIME_SHORT );
             } else {
                 return $translate->translate( "Today" ) . ", " . self::get( Zend_Date::TIME_SHORT );
             }
         }
 
         // Check if the timestamp is yesterday
         if ( self::isYesterday() && $this->useyesterday ) {
             // Its yesterday
             if ( $translate === null ) {
                 return "Yesterday, " . self::get( Zend_Date::TIME_SHORT );
             } else {
                 return $translate->translate( "Yesterday" ) . ", " . self::get( Zend_Date::TIME_SHORT );
             }
         }
 
         // Nothing until now, return as normal
         if ( $format === null ) {
             // No special format, return default
             return self::get();
         } else {
             return self::get( $format );
         }
     }
}

Here a short Tutorial on how to use this class.

In your bootstrap or index file first load the neccesary files.

Zend_Loader::loadClass( 'Zend_Date' );
require_once( 'Application/myScripts/Date.php');

Now you can call the script in any part of your application

// Use all in default mode
$date = new Application_myScripts_Date();
$formateddate = $date->getRelativeDate( $timestamp );
 
// Use a special Date format if no relative date is found
// The Constants available for the format argument are the same
// as in the normal Zend_Date Class (see Zend_Date documentation)
$date = new Application_myScripts_Date();
$formateddate = $date->getRelativeDate( $timestamp, Zend_Date::DATES );
 
// Disable today and yesterday displaymodes
// Further posibilities are:
//  - useminuteago
//  - usehour
$date = new Application_myScripts_Date();
$config = array(
    'usetoday' => false,
    'useyesterday' => false
);
$formateddate = $date->getRelativeDate( $timestamp, Zend_Date::DATES, $config );

Translating relative Dates:

If you use Zend_Translate in your project, make sure it is set in the Zend_Registry with the key Zend_Translate. It will be called automaticly when the key is set.

MessageIDs you need in your Translations:

• A minute ago
• minutes ago
• Yesterday
• Today