Calculate number of days between two dates

[usrbin]

I'm creating two dates and comparing the number of days between them. My script works great but I feel like I'm converting an object several times before its in a usable format. I'm wondering if there is a less awkward way to do it.

// I'm supplied with a timestamp that I create a reference date
$date1 = date_create_from_format('U', 376358400);

// I'm trying to find the next Saturday after a provided date
$date2= strtotime('next Saturday', strtotime('01 FEB 2017'));

// Step one of calculating the number of days apart
$days = date_diff($date1, new DateTime("@$date2"));

// Step two of calculating the number of days apart
$distance = $days->format('%R%a');

[phranque]

//calculate the number of days apart and format the time difference
$distance = date_diff($date1, new DateTime("@$date2"))->format('%R%a');

[usrbin]

Thank you!

What about when I create "new DateTime" using the data from $date2? Could I do something to $date2 where it's already in whatever format needed for the date_diff without having to create a new DateTime?

And what about $date1? If I already have the unix epoch seconds, can I use this in a more direct method?

// I'm supplied with a timestamp that I create a reference date
$date1 = date_create_from_format('U', 376358400);

// I'm trying to find the next Saturday after a provided date
$date2= strtotime('next Saturday', strtotime('01 FEB 2017'));

// Calculate number of days apart
$distance = date_diff($date1, new DateTime("@$date2"))->format('%R%a');

[phranque]

you could do it all in one line but it still does about the same amount of work and your code becomes less readable.