'Translating PHP date() for Multilingual Site

I'm trying to create a conditional translation of the PHP internal date() function. Is it possible to somehow redefine the internal variables - e.g. - date('M'), date('y') etc so that different strings are fed into the remainder of the PHP function on the basis of this test:

if (ICL_LANGUAGE_CODE == 'fr') { }

The following is a working example of the code I'm using for a dates module. Since $date is defined with many variables contained in this definition it's important to conditionally re-define the variables within PHP's date() first in order to avoid having to redefine the variable 100 times or more within each key. 

if($start <= $end):
    if($start == $end):
        //Month Day, Year
        $date =  date('F', $start).' '.date('j',$start).', '.date('Y', $start);
    else:
        if($start_year == $end_year):
            if($start_month == $end_month):

                //Month Day - Day, Year
                $date = date('F', $start).' '.date('j',$start).' - '.date('j', $end).', '.date('Y', $start);
            else:
                //Month Day - Month Day, Year
                $date =  date('F', $start).' '.date('j',$start).' - '.date('F', $end).' '.date('j', $end).', '.date('Y', $start);
            endif;
        else:
            //Month Day, Year - Month Day, Year
            $date =  date('F', $start).' '.date('j',$start).', '.date('Y', $start).' - '.date('F', $end).' '.date('j', $end).', '.date('Y', $end);
        endif;
    endif;
endif;
phpdatedatetime


Solution 1:[1]

    $date =  date('F', $start).' '.date('j',$start).', '.date('Y', $start);

That's a rather painful way to go about. The format string in date() doesn't have to be a single character. This line could be reduced to

$date = date('F j Y');

And given that, you could have a simple

switch($whats_my_locale) {
    case 'FR':
       $format = 'date format characters for a french date';
       break
    case 'EN' :
       $format = 'format chars for english date'
       break
    case etc....
    default:
       $format = 'default date format string here';
}

$local_date_string = date($format, $start);

and off you go.

Solution 2:[2]

I'm sure you have, but have you considered just using the numeric values?

Also, if you do use them, remember the US has months / day, opposite to the UK and others.

Solution 3:[3]

Can be done rather easily with either define or a switch.

DEFINE (PHP 7) 

<?php
// With Define
$untranslated_date = $date('D');
translate_date($untranslated_date);
							
function translate_date($untranslated_date)
{
  define('translated_days', array(
	'Mon' => 'Ma',
	'Tue' => 'Di',
	'Wed' => 'Wo',
	'Thu' => 'Do',
	'Fri' => 'Vr',
	'Sat' => 'Za',
	'Sun' => 'Zo')
	);
	
	echo translated_days[$untranslated_date];
}

SWITCH (or if statement)

// With a switch (or if)
$untranslated_date = $date('D');
translate_date($untranslated_date);

function translate_date($untranslated_date)
{
switch ($untranslated_date)
{
	case "Mon":
	$translated_date = "Ma";
	break;
		
    case "Tue":
	$translated_date = "Di";
	break;
		
	case "Wed":
	$translated_date = "Wo";
	break;
		
	case "Thu":
	$translated_date = "Do";
	break;
		
	case "Fri":
	$translated_date = "Vr";
	break;
		
	case "Sat":
	$translated_date = "Za";
	break;
		
	case "Sun":
	$translated_date = "Zo";
	break;
}
	
echo $translated_date;
}

Sources

This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Overflow and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Source: Stack Overflow

Solution Source
Solution 1 Marc B
Solution 2 Jake Lee
Solution 3 Chris Baaijens

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