iPhone: Convert date string to a relative time stamp

Solution 1:

-(NSString *)dateDiff:(NSString *)origDate {
    NSDateFormatter *df = [[NSDateFormatter alloc] init];
    [df setFormatterBehavior:NSDateFormatterBehavior10_4];
    [df setDateFormat:@"EEE, dd MMM yy HH:mm:ss VVVV"];
    NSDate *convertedDate = [df dateFromString:origDate];
    [df release];
    NSDate *todayDate = [NSDate date];
    double ti = [convertedDate timeIntervalSinceDate:todayDate];
    ti = ti * -1;
    if(ti < 1) {
        return @"never";
    } else  if (ti < 60) {
        return @"less than a minute ago";
    } else if (ti < 3600) {
        int diff = round(ti / 60);
        return [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%d minutes ago", diff];
    } else if (ti < 86400) {
        int diff = round(ti / 60 / 60);
        return[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%d hours ago", diff];
    } else if (ti < 2629743) {
        int diff = round(ti / 60 / 60 / 24);
        return[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%d days ago", diff];
    } else {
        return @"never";
    }   
}

Solution 2:

Here are methods from Cocoa to help you to get relevant info (not sure if they are all available in coca-touch).

    NSDate * today = [NSDate date];
    NSLog(@"today: %@", today);

    NSString * str = @"Thu, 21 May 09 19:10:09 -0700";
    NSDate * past = [NSDate dateWithNaturalLanguageString:str
                            locale:[[NSUserDefaults 
                            standardUserDefaults] dictionaryRepresentation]];

    NSLog(@"str: %@", str);
    NSLog(@"past: %@", past);

    NSCalendar *gregorian = [[NSCalendar alloc]
                             initWithCalendarIdentifier:NSGregorianCalendar];
    unsigned int unitFlags = NSYearCalendarUnit | NSMonthCalendarUnit | 
                             NSDayCalendarUnit | 
                             NSHourCalendarUnit | NSMinuteCalendarUnit | 
                             NSSecondCalendarUnit;
    NSDateComponents *components = [gregorian components:unitFlags
                                                fromDate:past
                                                  toDate:today
                                                 options:0];

    NSLog(@"months: %d", [components month]);
    NSLog(@"days: %d", [components day]);
    NSLog(@"hours: %d", [components hour]);
    NSLog(@"seconds: %d", [components second]);

The NSDateComponents object seems to hold the difference in relevant units (as specified). If you specify all units you can then use this method:

void dump(NSDateComponents * t)
{
    if ([t year]) NSLog(@"%d years ago", [t year]);
    else if ([t month]) NSLog(@"%d months ago", [t month]);
    else if ([t day]) NSLog(@"%d days ago", [t day]);
    else if ([t minute]) NSLog(@"%d minutes ago", [t minute]);
    else if ([t second]) NSLog(@"%d seconds ago", [t second]);
}

If you want to calculate yourself you can have a look at:

NSDate timeIntervalSinceDate

And then use seconds in the algorithm.

Disclaimer: If this interface is getting deprecated (I haven't checked), Apple's preferred way of doing this via NSDateFormatters, as suggested in comments below, looks pretty neat as well - I'll keep my answer for historical reasons, it may still be useful for some to look at the logic used.

iPhone: Convert date string to a relative time stamp

Solution 1:

Solution 2:

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