Check if start/end date are in a range of dates without missing days/interruptions/holes (PHP)

Question

I need to check if start/end date are in a range of dates without missing days/interruptions/holes between them.

$dates_list might be large (containing multiple years of days), so performance is important. Can use the latest PHP 8.1 if needed.

My $dates_list is already ordered chronologically in the array.

<?php

function dates_in_consecutive_range(string $start_date, string $end_date, array $dates_list): bool {
    // If in consecutive range without missing days (holes), return true, else return false
    // If either $start_date or $end_date or both is not in $dates_list, return false
    return false;
}

$dates_list = [
    '2022-03-11',
    '2022-03-12',
    '2022-03-13',
    '2022-03-14',
    '2022-03-18',
    '2022-03-19',
];

$start_date = '2022-03-11';
$end_date = '2022-03-14';

var_dump(dates_in_consecutive_range($start_date, $end_date, $dates_list)); // true

$start_date = '2022-03-11';
$end_date = '2022-03-18';

var_dump(dates_in_consecutive_range($start_date, $end_date, $dates_list)); // false

$start_date = '2022-03-18';
$end_date = '2022-03-19';

var_dump(dates_in_consecutive_range($start_date, $end_date, $dates_list)); // true

$start_date = '2022-03-19';
$end_date = '2022-03-20';

var_dump(dates_in_consecutive_range($start_date, $end_date, $dates_list)); // false ($end_date not in $dates_list)

Example: https://3v4l.org/hfk5D#v8.1.3

Answer 1

I think this should work, let me know if it doesnt. It returns true, true, true, false though which the second one in comments of your code states should return false but both values are within the array

    <?php

function dates_in_consecutive_range(string $start_date, string $end_date, array $dates_list): bool {
    // If in consecutive range without missing days (holes), return true, else return false
    // If either $start_date or $end_date or both is not in $dates_list, return false
  if(in_array($start_date, $dates_list) <= in_array($end_date, $dates_list)){
    return true;
  }
else {
  return false;
}
}

$dates_list = [
    '2022-03-11',
    '2022-03-12',
    '2022-03-13',
    '2022-03-14',
    '2022-03-18',
    '2022-03-19',
];

$start_date = '2022-03-11';
$end_date = '2022-03-14';

var_dump(dates_in_consecutive_range($start_date, $end_date, $dates_list)); // true

$start_date = '2022-03-11';
$end_date = '2022-03-18';

var_dump(dates_in_consecutive_range($start_date, $end_date, $dates_list)); // false

$start_date = '2022-03-18';
$end_date = '2022-03-19';

var_dump(dates_in_consecutive_range($start_date, $end_date, $dates_list)); // true

$start_date = '2022-03-19';
$end_date = '2022-03-20';

var_dump(dates_in_consecutive_range($start_date, $end_date, $dates_list)); // false ($end_date not in $dates_list)