Handle datetime between php (Laravel API) and javascript (AngularJS)

Question

I'm trying to make my Laravel API exchange dates with my Angularjs frontend.

It works from Laravel to JS by first converting my mysql datetime initial value:

2015-08-19 10:00:00

using $newdate = Carbon::parse($event['date'])->toATOMString(); which outputs:

2015-08-19T10:00:00+00:00

, then converting it later to a javascript date object (Angularjs) using event.date = new Date(event.date); which outputs:

Date 2015-08-19T10:00:00.000Z

Problem: posting my updated Javascript date object back to my PHP API to update the value in mysql db (datetime). Carbon doesn’t like the date format he gets back:

2015-08-19T11:00:00.000Z

And I’m not sure how to handle this. I get the following error from my Laravel log: exception 'InvalidArgumentException' with message 'Trailing data' … Carbon/Carbon.php:392

Question: How should I convert the above formatted date in php so Carbon accepts it?

I don't need to record seconds, so my Laravel model handles dates like so:

 $this->attributes['date'] = Carbon::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i', $date);

Here's what I tried (with no success) up until now. I'm obviously missing something and not sure what i'm doing.

/**
 * Store updates to event.
 *
 * @return Response
 */
public function update($id)
{   
    $event = Event::findOrFail($id);

    $date  = Request::get('jsdateobject');

    // ------------------------------------------------------------     
    // trying to handle following format: 2015-08-19T11:00:00.000Z
    // ------------------------------------------------------------

    // $date = Carbon::parse($date)->toATOMString();        // didn't work - outputs: 2015-08-19T11:00:00+00:00
    // $date = Carbon::parse($date)->toDateTimeString();    // didn't work - outputs: 2015-08-19 11:00:00
    // $date = Carbon::parse($date)->toW3cString();         // didn't work - outputs: 2015-08-19T11:00:00+00:00
    // $date = new Carbon($date);                           // didn't work - outputs: 2015-08-19 11:00:00
    $date = Carbon::createFromFormat('Y-m-d\TH:i:s.uO', $date); // didn't work - outputs: 2015-08-19 11:00:00

    $event->date = $date;
    $event->update();

    return Response::json(array('success'=>true));
}       

Announce

Could you convert it to a unix timestamp from JS Date() and then use Carbon::createFromTimestamp()? – Audi

I didn't want to play with the date format in JS (besides just updating it), so I was trying to manipulate the dates in my Laravel controller. I played with Carbon::createFromFormat with no luck (i've updated code above). – Announce

I think I got it now. Question updated with solution – Announce

please post your answer in answers else I will make an edit here.. thanks – Zenaidazenana

Answer 1

Originally posted by questionaire himeself but he posted the answer into the question itself so here I'm editing the question to make more sense He wrote:

I finally go it.

After updating my datetime in my AngularJS front end and posting my JS date object back to my PHP API, I couldn't figure out how to use the following date format:

2015-08-19T11:00:00.000Z

I kept getting the exception

'InvalidArgumentException' with message 'Trailing data' … Carbon/Carbon.php:392 error.

I tried

$date = Carbon::createFromFormat('Y-m-d\TH:i:s.uO', $date);

but that didn't work. After realizing that my Laravel Model was expecting the following datetime format Y-m-d H:i, I had to double format the datetime received from JS.

$date = Carbon::createFromFormat('Y-m-d\TH:i:s.uO', $date);->format('Y-m-d H:i');

Not sure it's the best way to do it, but it works for now.

Zenaidazenana