Convert US date format to ANSI SQL date format (YYYY-mm-dd)

Question

I want to convert user-submitted date format (mm/dd/yyyy) to a MySQL date format (YYYY-mm-dd). Submission is via a simple PHP form direc tto MySQL database.

Answer 1

$mysql_date = date('Y-m-d H:i:s', strtotime($user_date));

Answer 2

An alternative method as of PHP 5.2

$datetime = new DateTime($user_date);
echo $datetime->format('Y-m-d H:i:s');

DateTime is Y38k and timezone friendly.

Answer 3

A further method, this time on the SQL side is to use the convert method in your sql query:

    CONVERT(VARCHAR(11),$user_date,111)

    //e.g.
    SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(11),DATEFIELD,111) AS DATE
    //or
    SET DATEFIELD = CONVERT(VARCHAR(11),'".$user_date."',111)

See: http://www.w3schools.com/sql/func_convert.asp - the number at the end changes the type of date format, with 111 returning: 2006/12/30.