Last Activity Function

[doubledee]

I could use a second set of eyes in determining if a Function I wrote has enough "Error-Handling" in it?!

Here is my code...

PHP Code:

    function getOnlineStatus($lastActivity){

//HOW DO I DO ERROR-HANDLING FOR THIS??

        /**
         * Returns Member's Online Status
         *
         * Takes User's "Last Activity", and determines the User's Online Status.
         * Returns HTML for appropriate Online Status Indicator.
         *
         * @param        DateTime    $lastActivity                                    MySQL DateTime format (yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss)
         * @return    Array            {Image Filename, Alt Text}
         */

        // time() is current time measured in the # of seconds since Unix Epoch (January 1 1970 00:00:00 GMT).
        // strtotime() converts MySQL DateTime format (yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss) into a Unix Timestamp (seconds).
        $minutesOnline = (time() - strtotime($lastActivity))/60;

        // Determine Online Status.
        if ($minutesOnline < 15){
            // Member Online
            $indicator = array( "Light_Green_10.png","Member Online");

        }else if ($minutesOnline < 30){
            // Member Idle
            $indicator = array("Light_Yellow_10.png","Member Idle");

        }else{
            // Member Offline
            $indicator = array("Light_Gray_10.png" ,"Member Offline");

        }

        return $indicator;

    }//End of getOnlineStatus 


Not sure if I need to be checking for a Null, String, or Zero for $lastActivity??


(BTW, I am sure I could write a better Function as far as separating Logic from Presentation, but for now this will do!)

Thanks,


Debbie

[Fou-Lu]

No, this isn't correct. For error handling, the strtotime is a tricky beast.
strtotime will return false as of 5.1.0, and prior it will return -1. -1 is not ideal since it is technically a valid timestamp, so you need to check that its return time and compare it to the version before continuing.

PHP Code:

$timestamp = strtotime($lastActivity);
if ($timestamp !== false)
{
    // so far its okay
    if ($timestamp == -1 && version_compare(PHP_VERSION, '5.1.0') < 0)
    {
        // this one is no good, so respond accordingly.
    }
    else
    {
        // all conditions are good
    }
}
else
{
    // no good
} 


Instead you could use the DateTime class which you can try/catch. Although if you don't care about a specific version of PHP, then strtotime is fine as well and just check it for false.

Move the doc comment before the function signature otherwise it won't be a part of the reflection. Also don't call the parameter DateTime as that would indicate it is a DateTime object and an IDE may interpret it as such. Call it as it is, a string.

[doubledee]

Fou-Lu,

Thanks for the tips!


Debbie