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Automatic Copyright Year

Current year only

&copy; <?php echo date("Y") ?>

With start year

&copy; 2008-<?php echo date("Y") ?>

Start date with error protection

<?php function auto_copyright($year = 'auto'){ ?>
   <?php if(intval($year) == 'auto'){ $year = date('Y'); } ?>
   <?php if(intval($year) == date('Y')){ echo intval($year); } ?>
   <?php if(intval($year) < date('Y')){ echo intval($year) . ' - ' . date('Y'); } ?>
   <?php if(intval($year) > date('Y')){ echo date('Y'); } ?>
<?php } ?>

Usage:

<?php auto_copyright(); // 2011?>

<?php auto_copyright('2010');  // 2010 - 2011 ?>

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  1. Batfan

    Very nice! I’ve always done with this JS, never thought of doing it with PHP. Will definately use this in the future.

    Reply ↓
  2. John

    Wow! I’ve used the date feature of PHP, but had never thought to use it in that instance.

    Reply ↓
  3. mogetutu

    Nice, am now using the date function to store system date to database.

    Reply ↓
  4. iMaxEst

    Very simple… Nice when copyrights include two years. But if only one (for example company was established just at present year) that code is unsuitable. More universal is…

    $start_year = 2007;
    if ($start_year == date("Y")) {
    echo $start_year;
    } else {
    echo $start_year."-".date("Y");
    }

    Reply ↓
    • Chris

      That’s perfectly good code, it’ll just take the server that bit longer to process, I know people who won’t use the php date function in the copyright because of the extra load time and have a feeling this would send them into shock.

      Personally for ease of use I’d use the single copy date or even just the same year to same year i.e. 2007-2007 until the year changed.

  5. Codeclown

    Sorry, forgot to remove tags from previous post, please delete it.

    <?php
    $starting_year = 1945;
    echo ($starting_year==date('Y')) ? date('Y') : $starting_year." - ".date('y');
    ?>

    Reply ↓
  6. jc

    <?php
    // if both years are the same display only the current year ,
    // if they are different display both with an en dash between them
    $startYear = 2011;
    $thisYear = date(‘Y’);
    if ($startYear == $thisYear) {
    echo $startYear;
    } else {
    echo “{$startYear}–{$thisYear}”;
    }
    ?>

    Reply ↓

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