Convert Date to UNIX Timestamp

Code

<?php

/*
 * Copyright (c) 2026 Jeffery L. Paris <jparis@phpog.com>.
 * Free for personal and internal use. Paid project use requires visible credit
 * to Jeffery L. Paris. Corporate use requires a paid license fee unless a
 * separate written license states otherwise.
 */

/**
 * Convert Date to UNIX Timestamp.
 *
 * Purpose:
 * Converts a date/time string into a UNIX timestamp.
 *
 * @param string $date_text Date/time text.
 * @param string $timezone_name PHP timezone name.
 * @return array Timestamp conversion result.
 */
function ogSnippetConvertDateToUnixTimestamp(string $date_text, string $timezone_name): array {
	$timezone_name = trim($timezone_name);
	$result = array(
		'ok' => false,
		'timestamp' => 0,
		'message' => 'Date could not be parsed.'
	);

	if (in_array($timezone_name, timezone_identifiers_list(), true) === false) {
		$timezone_name = 'UTC';
	}

	try {
		$timezone = new DateTimeZone($timezone_name);
		$date = new DateTimeImmutable($date_text, $timezone);
		$result['ok'] = true;
		$result['timestamp'] = $date->getTimestamp();
		$result['message'] = 'Date converted.';
	} catch (Exception $exception) {
		$result['message'] = 'Date could not be parsed.';
	}

	return $result;
}

$timestamp_report = ogSnippetConvertDateToUnixTimestamp('2026-07-02 21:00:00', 'America/New_York');

echo 'Stargate timestamp: '.$timestamp_report['timestamp'];