Fatal error: Uncaught exception 'Exception' with message 'DateTimeZone::?

Question

I have been trying to resolve this issue and have spent hours to find the reason why this is keep happening with no avail.

I really don't know what I am doing wrong!

I am trying to create a simple time difference using timezones in PHP. I need to allow the users to choose the both locations on the page. for this purpose I am using two dropdown lists which will have all the timezones in them.

Every time I run the code/page on my server, I get this error:

Fatal error: Uncaught exception 'Exception' with message 'DateTimeZone::__construct() [datetimezone.--construct]: Unknown or bad timezone (origin_tz)' in /home/a1385482/public_html/timediff.php:204

Stack trace:

#0 /home/a1385482/public_html/timediff.php(204): DateTimeZone->__construct('origin_tz')

#1 /home/a1385482/public_html/timediff.php(215): get_timezone_offset('origin_tz', 'remote_tz')

#2 {main} thrown in /home/a1385482/public_html/timediff.php on line 204

Here is the full page code:

<?php
echo "Version: " . phpversion();
?> 

<form method="post" action="">
  <select name="timezone2" id="timezone2" class="timezone2">
    <option value="Pacific/Midway">(GMT-11:00) Midway Island, Samoa</option>
    .. snip ..
</select>
  <select name="timezone1" id="timezone1" class="timezone1">
    <option value="Pacific/Midway">(GMT-11:00) Midway Island, Samoa</option>
    .. snip ..
  </select>
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="send"/>

</form>


<?php
if( isset($_POST['submit']))
{
    //be sure to validate and clean your variables
    $timezone1 = htmlentities($_POST['timezone1']);
    $timezone2 = htmlentities($_POST['timezone2']);

    //then you can use them in a PHP function. 
    function get_timezone_offset( $origin_tz, $remote_tz ) {
          $timezone1 = new DateTimeZone( $origin_tz );
          $timezone2 = new DateTimeZone( $remote_tz );

          $datetime1 = new DateTime("now", $timezone1);
          $datetime2 = new DateTime("now", $timezone2);

          $offset = $timezone1->getOffset($datetime1) - $timezone2->getOffset($datetime2);
          return $offset;
    
    }

    $offset = get_timezone_offset('origin_tz', 'remote_tz');
    echo $offset/3600;
}

?>

could someone please shed a light on this as I am stuck on this one for almost 8 hours.

Please stop posting tons of irrelevant code. Reduce it to the minimum necessary to reproduce the problem. — deceze
– deceze ♦, Commented Aug 21, 2013 at 18:28
You're calling get_timezone_offset with 2 strings. I don't think 'origin_tz' is a valid timezone. — gen_Eric
– gen_Eric, Commented Aug 21, 2013 at 18:29
@deceze, WHY is it irrelevant code?! I am using the exact same code (not irrelevant code) and the exact same code produces the error/problem! — Simon Presto
– Simon Presto, Commented Aug 21, 2013 at 18:30
Use some common sense judgement, alright? Hundreds of virtually identical HTML elements: no need, a small sample is fine. Actual code that actually does something related to the problem: necessary. — deceze
– deceze ♦, Commented Aug 21, 2013 at 18:33
htmlentities should only be used when echoing onto the screen. It's not for sanitizing input. — gen_Eric
– gen_Eric, Commented Aug 21, 2013 at 18:36

Kieran · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-21 18:29:42Z

4

You're passing 'origin_tz' and 'remote_tz' to the constructor which aren't valid timezones, see here: http://www.php.net/manual/en/timezones.php

I imagine you want:

$offset = get_timezone_offset($timezone1, $timezone2);

answered Aug 21, 2013 at 18:29

Kieran

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5 Comments

Simon Presto Over a year ago

I have tried that too! and i get Unknown or bad timezone ($timezone1)' in

deceze Over a year ago

@Simon Are you passing get_timezone_offset($timezone1, ...) or get_timezone_offset('$timezone1', ...)?! (Note the quotes.)

Simon Presto Over a year ago

@deceze, wow that was it... I was passing it with the quotes!!! it works without the quotes.

deceze Over a year ago

@Simon Glad it worked. BTW, learn to read error messages and stack traces. The error message and DateTimeZone->__construct('origin_tz') clearly stated that you're passing the value "origin_tz" (and later "$timezone1") in. That should ring alarm bells and enable you to find the error yourself.

Simon Presto Over a year ago

@deceze, sure. appreciate it.

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