Get all dates from last 30 days (datetime objects) - php

Question

I am trying to get an array of datetime objects but failing miserably.
I want to take today's date, and get all dates within the last 30 days.
$today = new DateTime();
$begin = $today->sub(new DateInterval('P30D'));
$interval = new DateInterval('P1D'); // 1 Day
$dateRange = new DatePeriod($begin, $interval, $today);
$range = [];
foreach ($dateRange as $date) {
$range[] = $date->format('Y-m-d');
}
When I dump out $range, I get an empty array.
What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

Change
$begin = $today->sub(new DateInterval('P30D'));
to
$begin = new DateTime();
$begin->sub(new DateInterval('P30D'));

Answer 2

the "sub" method modifies the source object, as well as outputting the object itself as the return value (really this is intended for method chaining). It doesn't just create a new object with the new date.
$begin = $today->sub(new DateInterval('P30D'));
modifies $today as well as outputting a copy which you then declare as $begin. This results in both objects having the same date, and thus there's no time interval over which to iterate.
See http://php.net/manual/en/datetime.sub.php
You need to create a separate object for your end date:
$begin = new DateTime();
$begin->sub(new DateInterval('P30D'));
$end = new DateTime();
$interval = new DateInterval('P1D'); // 1 Day
$dateRange = new DatePeriod($begin, $interval, $end);
$range = [];
foreach ($dateRange as $date) {
$range[] = $date->format('Y-m-d');
}
var_dump($range);
See it working at https://eval.in/867948

Answer 3

you overwrite $today so $today and $begin is exactly the same
$today = new DateTime();
$copy = clone $today;
$begin = $copy->sub(new DateInterval('P30D'));
$interval = new DateInterval('P1D'); // 1 Day
$dateRange = new DatePeriod($begin, $interval, $today);
$range = [];
foreach ($dateRange as $date) {
$range[] = $date->format('Y-m-d');
}
will work