XML-RPC for PHP: version 1.1
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Chapter 6. Helper functions

Table of Contents
Date functions
Easy use with PHP arrays
Debugging aids

XML-RPC for PHP contains some helper functions which you can - use to make processing of XML-RPC requests easier.

Date functions

The XML-RPC specification has this to say on dates:

Don't assume a timezone. It should be specified by the server in its - documentation what assumptions it makes about timezones.

Unfortunately, this means that date processing isn't - straightforward. Although XML-RPC uses ISO 8601 format dates, it - doesn't use the timezone specifier.

We strongly recommend that in every case where you pass - dates in XML-RPC calls, you use UTC (GMT) as your timezone. Most computer - languages include routines for handling GMT times natively, and - you won't have to translate between timezones.

For more information about dates, see ISO 8601: The Right Format for Dates, which has a handy link to a PDF of the ISO 8601 specification. Note that XML-RPC uses exactly one of the available representations: CCYYMMDDTHH:MM:SS.

iso8601_encode

$isoString=iso8601_encode($time_t, $utc=0);

Returns an ISO 8601 formatted date generated from the - UNIX timestamp $time_t, as returned by - the PHP function time().

The argument $utc can be omitted, - in which case it defaults to 0. If it is - set to 1, then the function corrects the - time passed in for UTC. Example: if you're in the GMT-6:00 - timezone and set $utc, you will receive - a date representation six hours ahead of your local - time.

The included demo program vardemo.php - includes a demonstration of this function.

iso8601_decode

$time_t=iso8601_decode($isoString, $utc=0);

Returns a UNIX timestamp from an ISO 8601 encoded time and - date string passed in. If $utc is - 1 then $isoString is - assumed to be in the UTC timezone, and thus the - $time_t result is also UTC: otherwise, - the timezone is assumed to be your local timezone and you receive a local timestamp.

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