Swift convert time to time ago

Question

In Swift5, we have RelativeDateTimeFormatter

Prior to Swift5:

---

I\'m trying to convert time to time ago, what i wanna do is:

from 1

Answer 1

Swift 4.1. Pass you date in function param and function will return past time.

func getPastTime(for date : Date) -> String {

    var secondsAgo = Int(Date().timeIntervalSince(date))
    if secondsAgo < 0 {
        secondsAgo = secondsAgo * (-1)
    }

    let minute = 60
    let hour = 60 * minute
    let day = 24 * hour
    let week = 7 * day

    if secondsAgo < minute  {
        if secondsAgo < 2{
            return "just now"
        }else{
            return "\(secondsAgo) secs ago"
        }
    } else if secondsAgo < hour {
        let min = secondsAgo/minute
        if min == 1{
            return "\(min) min ago"
        }else{
            return "\(min) mins ago"
        }
    } else if secondsAgo < day {
        let hr = secondsAgo/hour
        if hr == 1{
            return "\(hr) hr ago"
        } else {
            return "\(hr) hrs ago"
        }
    } else if secondsAgo < week {
        let day = secondsAgo/day
        if day == 1{
            return "\(day) day ago"
        }else{
            return "\(day) days ago"
        }
    } else {
        let formatter = DateFormatter()
        formatter.dateFormat = "MMM dd, hh:mm a"
        formatter.locale = Locale(identifier: "en_US")
        let strDate: String = formatter.string(from: date)
        return strDate
    }
}

Answer 2

You need to add this date extension in your helper class or any in swift file. Swift 4.2 . if you want in swift 3 just uncomment the commented line and comment the next line.

And call the method as follow:

 let dateText = Date().offsetFrom(date: yourDate!)

yourDate is date that to be change

////MARK: *************** Extension Date ***************
 extension Date{


func convertToString(validDateFormatter:String) -> String {
    let dateFormatter = DateFormatter()
    dateFormatter.dateFormat = validDateFormatter //"dd MMM yyyy" //yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm
    //return dateFormatter.stringFromDate(self)
    return dateFormatter.string(from: self as Date)

}

func yearsFrom(date:Date) -> Int{
    //        return NSCalendar.currentCalendar.components(.Year, fromDate: date, toDate: self, options: []).year
    //        let calendar = NSCalendar.current

    //        let components = Calendar.current.dateComponents([.year], from: date, to: self as Date)

    return Calendar.current.dateComponents([.year], from: date, to: self).year!

}
func monthsFrom(date:Date) -> Int{
    //        return NSCalendar.currentCalendar.components(.Month, fromDate: date, toDate: self, options: []).month
    return Calendar.current.dateComponents([.month], from: date as Date, to: self).month!
}
func weeksFrom(date:Date) -> Int{
    //return NSCalendar.currentCalendar.components(.WeekOfYear, fromDate: date, toDate: self, options: []).weekOfYear
    return Calendar.current.dateComponents([.weekOfYear], from: date, to: self).weekOfYear!
}
func daysFrom(date:Date) -> Int{
    //        return NSCalendar.currentCalendar.components(.Day, fromDate: date, toDate: self, options: []).day
    return Calendar.current.dateComponents([.day], from: date, to: self).day!
}
func hoursFrom(date:Date) -> Int{
    //        return NSCalendar.currentCalendar.components(.Hour, fromDate: date, toDate: self, options: []).hour
    return Calendar.current.dateComponents([.hour], from: date, to: self).hour!
}
func minutesFrom(date:Date) -> Int{
    //        return NSCalendar.currentCalendar.components(.Minute, fromDate: date, toDate: self, options: []).minute
    return Calendar.current.dateComponents([.minute], from: date, to: self).minute!
}
func secondsFrom(date:Date) -> Int{
    //        return NSCalendar.currentCalendar.components(.Second, fromDate: date, toDate: self, options: []).second
    return Calendar.current.dateComponents([.second], from: date, to: self).second!
}
func offsetFrom(date:Date) -> String
{
    if yearsFrom(date: date) > 0 {
        return "\(yearsFrom(date: date))y"
    }
    if monthsFrom(date: date) > 0 {
        return "\(monthsFrom(date: date))M"
    }
    if weeksFrom(date: date) > 0{
        return "\(weeksFrom(date: date))w"
    }
    if daysFrom(date: date) > 0 {
        return "\(daysFrom(date: date))d"
    }
    if hoursFrom(date: date) > 0 {
        return "\(hoursFrom(date: date))h"
    }
    if minutesFrom(date: date) > 0 {
        return "\(minutesFrom(date: date))m"
    }
    if secondsFrom(date: date) > 0 {
        return "\(secondsFrom(date: date))s"
    }
    return ""

}

}

Answer 3

For swift 5.x

extension Date {

    func timeAgoSinceDate() -> String {

        // From Time
        let fromDate = self

        // To Time
        let toDate = Date()

        // Year
        if let interval = Calendar.current.dateComponents([.year], from: fromDate, to: toDate).year, interval > 0  {

            return interval == 1 ? "\(interval)" + " " + "year ago" : "\(interval)" + " " + "years ago"
        }

        // Month
        if let interval = Calendar.current.dateComponents([.month], from: fromDate, to: toDate).month, interval > 0  {

            return interval == 1 ? "\(interval)" + " " + "month ago" : "\(interval)" + " " + "months ago"
        }

        // Day
        if let interval = Calendar.current.dateComponents([.day], from: fromDate, to: toDate).day, interval > 0  {

            return interval == 1 ? "\(interval)" + " " + "day ago" : "\(interval)" + " " + "days ago"
        }

        // Hours
        if let interval = Calendar.current.dateComponents([.hour], from: fromDate, to: toDate).hour, interval > 0 {

            return interval == 1 ? "\(interval)" + " " + "hour ago" : "\(interval)" + " " + "hours ago"
        }

        // Minute
        if let interval = Calendar.current.dateComponents([.minute], from: fromDate, to: toDate).minute, interval > 0 {

            return interval == 1 ? "\(interval)" + " " + "minute ago" : "\(interval)" + " " + "minutes ago"
        }

        return "just now"
    }
}

How to use

oldDate.timeAgoSinceDate()

Happy Coding :)

Answer 4

My needs are simpler, either "now" or "x ago"

Since iOS 8 you can use (NS)DateComponentsFormatter

func getElapsedInterval() -> String {

    let formatter = DateComponentsFormatter()
    formatter.allowedUnits = [.minute, .hour, .day, .month, .year]
    formatter.unitsStyle = .abbreviated
    formatter.zeroFormattingBehavior = .dropAll
    formatter.maximumUnitCount = 1

    var dateString: String?

    if self.timeIntervalSince(Date()) > -60*5 {
        dateString = NSLocalizedString("now", comment: "")
    } else {
        dateString = String.init(format: NSLocalizedString("%@ ago", comment: ""), locale: .current, formatter.string(from: self, to: Date())!)
    }

    return dateString ?? ""
}

e.g.

var date = Date.init(timeIntervalSinceNow: -60)
print(date.getElapsedInterval())
date = Date.init(timeIntervalSinceNow: -60*10)
print(date.getElapsedInterval())
date = Date.init(timeIntervalSinceNow: -60*60)
print(date.getElapsedInterval())
date = Date.init(timeIntervalSinceNow: -60*60*24)
print(date.getElapsedInterval())
date = Date.init(timeIntervalSinceNow: -60*60*24*30)
print(date.getElapsedInterval())
date = Date.init(timeIntervalSinceNow: -60*60*24*31*12)
print(date.getElapsedInterval())

now
10m ago
1h ago
1d ago
1mo ago
1y ago

Answer 5

On Swift 5 use the RelativeDateTimeFormatter,

let formatter = RelativeDateTimeFormatter()

formatter.localizedString(from: DateComponents(day: -1)) // "1 day ago"
formatter.localizedString(from: DateComponents(hour: 2)) // "in 2 hours"
formatter.localizedString(from: DateComponents(minute: 45)) // "in 45 minutes"

set the dateTimeStyle get localized deictic statements e.g. -

formatter.dateTimeStyle = .named 
formatter.localizedString(from: DateComponents(day: -1)) // "yesterday"

Answer 6

Swift 4+ Version

extension Date {

    func timeAgoSinceDate() -> String {

        // From Time
        let fromDate = self

        // To Time
        let toDate = Date()

        // Estimation
        // Year
        if let interval = Calendar.current.dateComponents([.year], from: fromDate, to: toDate).year, interval > 0  {

            return interval == 1 ? "\(interval)" + " " + "year ago" : "\(interval)" + " " + "years ago"
        }

        // Month
        if let interval = Calendar.current.dateComponents([.month], from: fromDate, to: toDate).month, interval > 0  {

            return interval == 1 ? "\(interval)" + " " + "month ago" : "\(interval)" + " " + "months ago"
        }

        // Day
        if let interval = Calendar.current.dateComponents([.day], from: fromDate, to: toDate).day, interval > 0  {

            return interval == 1 ? "\(interval)" + " " + "day ago" : "\(interval)" + " " + "days ago"
        }

        // Hours
        if let interval = Calendar.current.dateComponents([.hour], from: fromDate, to: toDate).hour, interval > 0 {

            return interval == 1 ? "\(interval)" + " " + "hour ago" : "\(interval)" + " " + "hours ago"
        }

        // Minute
        if let interval = Calendar.current.dateComponents([.minute], from: fromDate, to: toDate).minute, interval > 0 {

            return interval == 1 ? "\(interval)" + " " + "minute ago" : "\(interval)" + " " + "minutes ago"
        }

        return "a moment ago"
    }
}

Usage

yourDate.timeAgoSinceDate()