Time::ParseDate -- date parsing both relative and absolute

NAME

SYNOPSIS

        use Time::ParseDate;
        $seconds_since_jan1_1970 = parsedate("12/11/94 2pm", NO_RELATIVE => 1)
        $seconds_since_jan1_1970 = parsedate("12/11/94 2pm", %options)

OPTIONS

Date parsing can also use options. The options are as follows:

        FUZZY   -> it's okay not to parse the entire date string
        NOW     -> the "current" time for relative times (defaults to time())
        ZONE    -> local timezone (defaults to $ENV{TZ})
        WHOLE   -> the whole input string must be parsed
        GMT     -> input time is assumed to be GMT, not localtime
        UK      -> prefer UK style dates (dd/mm over mm/dd)
        DATE_REQUIRED -> do not default the date
        TIME_REQUIRED -> do not default the time
        NO_RELATIVE -> input time is not relative to NOW
        TIMEFIRST -> try parsing time before date [not default]
        PREFER_PAST -> when year or day of week is ambigueous, assume past
        PREFER_FUTURE -> when year or day of week is ambigueous, assume future

DATE FORMATS RECOGNIZED

Absolute date formats

        Dow, dd Mon yy
        Dow, dd Mon yyyy
        Dow, dd Mon
        dd Mon yy
        dd Mon yyyy
        Month day{st,nd,rd,th}, year
        Month day{st,nd,rd,th}
        Mon dd yyyy
        yyyy/mm/dd
        yyyy/mm
        mm/dd/yy
        mm/dd/yyyy
        mm/yy
        yy/mm      (only if year > 12, or > 31 if UK)
        yy/mm/dd   (only if year > 12 and day < 32, or year > 31 if UK)
        dd/mm/yy   (only if UK, or an invalid mm/dd/yy or yy/mm/dd)
        dd/mm/yyyy (only if UK, or an invalid mm/dd/yyyy)
        dd/mm      (only if UK, or an invalid mm/dd)

Relative date formats:

        count "days"
        count "weeks"
        count "months"
        count "years"
        Dow "after next"
        Dow                     (requires PREFER_PAST or PREFER_FUTURE)
        "next" Dow
        "tomorrow"
        "today"
        "yesterday"
        "last" dow
        "last week"
        "now"
        "now" "+" count units
        "now" "-" count units
        "+" count units
        "-" count units

Absolute time formats:

        hh:mm:ss 
        hh:mm 
        hh:mm[AP]M
        hh[AP]M
        hhmmss[[AP]M] 
        "noon"
        "midnight"

Relative time formats:

        count "minuts"
        count "seconds"
        count "hours"
        "+" count units
        "+" count
        "-" count units
        "-" count

Timezone formats:

        [+-]dddd
        GMT[+-]d+
        [+-]dddd (TZN)
        TZN

Special formats:

        [ d]d/Mon/yyyy:hh:mm:ss [[+-]dddd]
        yy/mm/dd.hh:mm

DESCRIPTION

This module recognizes the above date/time formats. Usually a date and a time are specified. There are numerous options for controlling what is recognized and what is not.

The return code is always the time in seconds since January 1st, 1970 or zero if it was unable to parse the time.

If a timezone is specified it must be after the time. Year specifications can be tacked onto the end of absolute times.

EXAMPLES

        $seconds = parsedate("Mon Jan  2 04:24:27 1995");
        $seconds = parsedate("Tue Apr 4 00:22:12 PDT 1995");
        $seconds = parsedate("04.04.95 00:22", ZONE => PDT);
        $seconds = parsedate("122212 950404", ZONE => PDT, TIMEFIRST => 1);
        $seconds = parsedate("+3 secs", NOW => 796978800);
        $seconds = parsedate("2 months", NOW => 796720932);
        $seconds = parsedate("last Tuesday");

AUTHOR

David Muir Sharnoff

Patch for UK-style dates: Sam Yates