How do I convert a mySQL DATETIME type to a string for use in Javascript?

Question

I want to display a DATETIME I get from a mySQL database as a String in Javascript.

I'm using PHP to put the DATETIME into a variable: $mydatetime.

It displays fine on the PHP page, but not in my javascript function.

<?php
    echo $mydatetime       --> 2010-04-19 13:00:00
    echo "<script language=javascript>myfunction($mydatetime);</script>";        
?>

Javascript

function myfunction(mydatetime) {
    alert(mydatetime);
}

This produces an error in my console: Uncaught SyntaxError: Unexpected number

I've tried many things to try to convert mydatetime to a string, but nothing seems to be working.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

Answer 1

I don't know what format you need for your function - you don't specify. Chances are you just need to enclose the value in quotes:

echo "<script language=javascript>myfunction('$mydatetime');</script>";    

But the general way to convert dates from mySQL to something else in PHP is:

1. Turn the date into a timestamp: $mytimestamp = strtotime($mydatetime); Strtotime can read a great number of time formats, DATETIME is among them. Manual on strtotime here

2. Output the timestamp in any format you like: echo date("Y-m-d", $mytimestamp); Manual on date formatting options here

Answer 2

It's a string, so Javascript needs it in quotes:

<?php
    echo $mydatetime       --> 2010-04-19 13:00:00
    echo "<script language=javascript>myfunction('$mydatetime');</script>";        
?>