PHP - Twitter Api Date Issues

I'm working on a project that has a lot of different timezone options, and all I have from the users is their UTC offset.

After weeks of doing tweaks, I come to new issues every time I add something, one would think it would be a lot easier to just get the correct time and day :)

The latest issue is that when I try to rewrite a date to a better fomat, it disregards the GMT offset. Like this:

4/14/19, 12:00 PM GMT+2 (=$date) becomes ... 14-04-2019 10:00 when using this code:

$bp_date_to_format = date_create_from_format('Y-m-d\TH:i:sP', $date);
echo date_format($bp_date_to_format, 'd-m-Y H:i');

I figured it would just rewrite the format, keeping the exact time. It isn't.

We do have all these sorts of localization functions as well, but because there doesn't seem to be one single standard (each 3rd party API connection we have uses its own default datetime format so it seems).

        // Remove UTC Text
        $UTC_offset = str_replace('UTC', '', $timezone);

        // Get Offset in Minutes
        if (stripos($UTC_offset, ':') !== false) {
            // Calculate seconds from offset
            list($hours, $minutes) = explode(':', $offset);
            $seconds = $hours * 60 * 60 + $minutes * 60;
        } else {
            $seconds = $UTC_offset * 60 * 60;
        }

        // Get User timezone name from seconds
        $timezone = timezone_name_from_abbr('', $seconds, 1);
        if ($timezone === false) {
            $timezone = timezone_name_from_abbr('', $seconds, 0);
        }
        // Set new TZ
        return date_default_timezone_set($timezone);

Isn't there any "one way"solution that can be used? It's confusing to say the least.

Cheers.

<?php
/**
 * Take the user when they return from Twitter. Get access tokens.
 * Verify credentials and redirect to based on response from Twitter.
 */
session_start();
require_once('oauth/twitteroauth.php');
require_once('config.php');

if (isset($_REQUEST['oauth_token']) && $_SESSION['oauth_token'] !== $_REQUEST['oauth_token']) {
  $_SESSION['oauth_status'] = 'oldtoken';
  header('Location: ./destroysessions.php');
}

$connection = new TwitterOAuth(CONSUMER_KEY, CONSUMER_SECRET, $_SESSION['oauth_token'], $_SESSION['oauth_token_secret']);

$access_token = $connection->getAccessToken($_REQUEST['oauth_verifier']);
//save new access tocken array in session
$_SESSION['access_token'] = $access_token;

unset($_SESSION['oauth_token']);
unset($_SESSION['oauth_token_secret']);

if (200 == $connection->http_code) {
  $_SESSION['status'] = 'verified';
  header('Location: ./index.php');
} else {
  header('Location: ./destroysessions.php');
}
?>

<?php
/**
 * @file
 * A single location to store configuration.
 */
define('CONSUMER_KEY', 'MY CONSUMER KEY');
define('CONSUMER_SECRET', 'MY SECRECT CONSUMER KEY');
define('OAUTH_CALLBACK', 'URL OF WHERE I AM REDIRECTING TO');
?>

<?php
/**
 * @file
 * Clears PHP sessions and redirects to the connect page.
 */

/* Load and clear sessions */
session_start();
session_destroy();

/* Redirect to page with the connect to Twitter option. */
header('Location: ../index.php');
?>

	<?php
	require_once('oauth/twitteroauth.php');
	require_once('config.php');
		if(isset($_POST["status"]))
			{
				$status = $_POST["status"];
				if(strlen($status)>=130)
				{
					$status = substr($status,0,130);
				}
				$access_token = $_SESSION['access_token'];
				$connection = new TwitterOAuth(CONSUMER_KEY, CONSUMER_SECRET, $access_token['oauth_token'], $access_token['oauth_token_secret']);

				$connection->post('statuses/update', array('status' => "$status"));
				$message = "Tweeted Sucessfully!!";
			}
		if(isset($_GET["redirect"]))
			{
				$connection = new TwitterOAuth(CONSUMER_KEY, CONSUMER_SECRET);

				$request_token = $connection->getRequestToken(OAUTH_CALLBACK);

				$_SESSION['oauth_token'] = $token = $request_token['oauth_token'];
				$_SESSION['oauth_token_secret'] = $request_token['oauth_token_secret'];

				switch ($connection->http_code) {
					case 200:
						$url = $connection->getAuthorizeURL($token);
						header('Location: ' . $url);
						break;
					default:
						echo '<div class="par">Could not connect to Twitter. Refresh the page or try again later.</div>';
				}
		exit;
			}
		if (empty($_SESSION['access_token']) || empty($_SESSION['access_token']['oauth_token']) || empty($_SESSION['access_token']['oauth_token_secret'])) {

				echo '<a href="./index.php?redirect=true"><img src="./images/lighter.png" alt="Sign in with Twitter"/></a>';
			}
		else
			{
				echo "<a href='destroysessions.php'>Logout</a><br>";
				echo '<div class="par">'.$message.'<div>
				<form action="index.php" method="post">
				    <input type="text" name="status" id="status" placeholder="Write a comment....">
				    <input type="submit" value="Post On My Wall!" style="padding: 5px;">
				</form>';
			}
	?>

<?php include "library/twitteroauth.php"; ?>
<?php
$consumer = "key";
$consumersecret = "key";
$accesstoken = "key";
$accesstokensecret = "key";

$twitter = new TwitterOAuth($consumer, $consumersecret, $accesstoken, $accesstokensecret);
$tweets = $twitter->get('https://api.twitter.com/1.1/users/lookup.json?screen_name=twitterapi,twitter');

?>

<html>
    <head>
            <meta charset ="UTF-8" />
            <title>Twitter Search</title>       
    </head>
        <body>
            <form action="" method="post">
            <label>Search: <input type="text" name ="keyword"/>
            </form>
            <?php 
            if ( isset($_POST['keyword'])){
                $tweets = $twitter->get('https://api.twitter.com/1.1/users/lookup.json?screen_name='.$_POST['keyword']. '');
                foreach($tweets as $tweet){
                    foreach ($tweet as $t){
                        echo ($t->text);
                    }
                    }
                    }           

            ?>
        </body>
</html>

<?php
$confId = $_GET['confession'];
$viewIp = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];


// Get the Full Page URL
$pageURL = (isset($_SERVER['HTTPS']) ? "https" : "http")."//".$_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'].$_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'];


$count = 0;
$hasViewed = '';
$msgBox = '';


// Get the File Uploads Folder from the Site Settings
$uploadsDir = $set['uploadPath'];


// Check if Moderation is On
$moderated = $set['moderation'];


// Check if Profanity Filter is On
$filterProfanity = $set['useFilter'];


$chkViews = mysqli_query($mysqli,"SELECT 'X' FROM views WHERE confessId = ".$confId." AND viewIp = '".$viewIp."' LIMIT 1");
$hasView = mysqli_num_rows($chkViews);
if ($hasView == 0) { $hasViewed = '0'; }
$viewDate = date("Y-m-d H:i:s");


if ($hasViewed == '0') {
$stmt = $mysqli->prepare("
INSERT INTO
views(
confessId,
viewIp,
viewDate
) VALUES (
?,
?,
?
)
");
$stmt->bind_param('sss',
$confId,
$viewIp,
$viewDate
);
$stmt->execute();
}


// Add New Comment
    if (isset($_POST['submit']) && $_POST['submit'] == 'addComment') {
        // Validation
if($_POST['commentText'] == "") {
            $msgBox = alertBox($commentsReq, "<i class='fa fa-times-circle'></i>", "danger");
        } else if($_POST['answer'] == "") {
            $msgBox = alertBox($captchaCodeReq, "<i class='fa fa-times-circle'></i>", "danger");
        } else if ($_POST['hole'] != '') {
$msgBox = alertBox($commentsErrorMsg, "<i class='fa fa-times-circle'></i>", "danger");
$_POST['firstName'] = $_POST['commentText'] = $_POST['answer'] = '';
} else {
$commentText = htmlentities($_POST['commentText']);
$usersId = $mysqli->real_escape_string($_POST['usersId']);
if ($_POST['firstName'] == '') {
$firstName = null;
} else {
$firstName = $mysqli->real_escape_string($_POST['firstName']);
}
$commentDate = date("Y-m-d H:i:s");


// Moderation Check
if ($moderated == '1') { $isActive = '0'; } else { $isActive = '1'; }


// Check if the poster is a logged in user
if (isset($_SESSION['userId'])) {
$user = $_SESSION['userId'];
} else {
$user = '0';
}


if(strtolower($_POST['answer']) == $_SESSION['thecode']) {
$stmt = $mysqli->prepare("
INSERT INTO
comments(
confessId,
userId,
firstName,
comments,
commentDate,
isActive,
commentIp
) VALUES (
?,
?,
?,
?,
?,
?,
?
)
");
$stmt->bind_param('sssssss',
$confId,
$user,
$firstName,
$commentText,
$commentDate,
$isActive,
$viewIp
);
$stmt->execute();


if ($moderated == '1') {
$msgBox = alertBox($commentsSavedMsg1, "<i class='fa fa-check-square'></i>", "success");
} else {
$msgBox = alertBox($commentsSavedMsg2, "<i class='fa fa-check-square'></i>", "success");
}
// Clear the Form of values
$_POST['firstName'] = $_POST['commentText'] = $_POST['answer'] = '';
$stmt->close();
} else {
$msgBox = alertBox($captchaErrorMsg, "<i class='fa fa-warning'></i>", "warning");
}


// If the confession is posted by a user
if ($usersId != '0') {
$uemail = "SELECT userEmail, recEmails FROM users WHERE userId = ".$usersId;
$remail = mysqli_query($mysqli, $uemail) or die('-1' . mysqli_error());
$e = mysqli_fetch_assoc($remail);
$userEmail = $e['userEmail'];
$recEmails = $e['recEmails'];


// If the users has opted in to receive notifications
if ($recEmails == '1') {
// Send out the email in HTML
$installUrl = $set['installUrl'];
$siteName = $set['siteName'];
$siteEmail = $set['siteEmail'];


$subject = $newCommentEmailSubject;
$message = '<html><body>';
$message .= '<h3>'.$subject.'</h3>';
$message .= '<hr>';
$message .= '<p>'.nl2br($commentText).'</p>';
$message .= '<hr>';
$message .= '<p>'.$newCommentEmail1.' '.$pageURL.'</p>';
$message .= '<p>'.$subscribeEmail3.'<br>'.$siteName.'</p>';
$message .= '</body></html>';
$headers = "From: ".$siteName." <".$siteEmail.">\r\n";
$headers .= "Reply-To: ".$siteEmail."\r\n";
$headers .= "MIME-Version: 1.0\r\n";
$headers .= "Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1\r\n";


mail($userEmail, $subject, $message, $headers);
}
}
}
}


// Get Confession
$select = "SELECT
confessId,
userId,
(IFNULL(firstName, '')) AS firstName,
confessText,
DATE_FORMAT(postDate,'%b %d %Y %h:%i %p') AS postDate,
hasImage,
isActive,
(SELECT COUNT(*) FROM views WHERE views.confessId = confessions.confessId ) as totalViews,
(SELECT COUNT(*) FROM likes WHERE likes.confessId = confessions.confessId ) as totalLikes,
(SELECT COUNT(*) FROM dislikes WHERE dislikes.confessId = confessions.confessId ) as totalDislikes
FROM
confessions
WHERE confessId = ".$confId;
$res = mysqli_query($mysqli, $select) or die('-1' . mysqli_error());
$row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($res);


if ($row['totalViews'] == '1') { $viewText = $singleViewText; } else { $viewText = $multipleViewsText; }
$shareURL = $set['installUrl'].'page.php?page=view&confession='.$row['confessId'];
$googleURL = $set['installUrl'];


// Get Comments
$qry = "SELECT
commentId,
confessId,
(IFNULL(firstName, '')) AS fName,
comments,
DATE_FORMAT(commentDate,'%b %d %Y %h:%i %p') AS commentDate,
isActive
FROM
comments
WHERE
confessId = ".$confId." AND
isActive = 1
ORDER BY commentId DESC";
$results = mysqli_query($mysqli, $qry) or die('-2'.mysqli_error());


include('includes/header.php');
?>
<section id="main-container">
<div class="container">
<?php if ($msgBox) { echo $msgBox; } ?>


<div class="confessbox">
<div class="confession">
<?php
if ($row['hasImage'] == '1') {
// Get Image
$sqlStmt = "SELECT uploadId, confessId, uploadUrl FROM uploads WHERE confessId = ".$confId;
$sqlres = mysqli_query($mysqli, $sqlStmt) or die('-2'.mysqli_error());
$col = mysqli_fetch_assoc($sqlres);


//Get File Extension
$ext = substr(strrchr($col['uploadUrl'],'.'), 1);
$imgExts = array('gif', 'GIF', 'jpg', 'JPG', 'jpeg', 'JPEG', 'png', 'PNG', 'tiff', 'TIFF', 'tif', 'TIF', 'bmp', 'BMP');


if (in_array($ext, $imgExts)) {
echo '<p class="mb-20"><img alt="'.$confImageAlt.'" src="'.$uploadsDir.$col['uploadUrl'].'" class="img-responsive" /></p>';
}
}
?>
<p>
<i class="fa fa-quote-left"></i>
<?php
if ($filterProfanity == '1') {
echo nl2br(clean(filterwords($row['confessText'])));
} else {
echo nl2br(clean($row['confessText']));
}
?>
<i class="fa fa-quote-right"></i>
</p>
<input type="hidden" id="confessId" name="confessId_<?php echo $count; ?>" value="<?php echo $row['confessId']; ?>" />
<div class="confession-footer">
<div class="likes">
<span class="label label-confess first liked">
<a href="" id="likeIt<?php echo $row['confessId']; ?>" class="likeIt_<?php echo $count; ?> text-success">
<i class="fa fa-smile-o"></i> <span id="likesVal_<?php echo $count; ?>"><?php echo $row['totalLikes']; ?></span>
</a>
</span>
</div>
<div class="dislikes">
<span class="label label-confess disliked">
<a href="" id="dislikeIt<?php echo $row['confessId']; ?>" class="dislike_<?php echo $count; ?> text-danger">
<span id="dislikesVal_<?php echo $count; ?>"><?php echo $row['totalDislikes']; ?></span> <i class="fa fa-frown-o"></i>
</a>
</span>
</div>
<span class="label label-confess"><?php echo timeago($row['postDate']); ?></span>
<span class="label label-confess last"><?php echo $row['totalViews'].' '.$viewText; ?></span>
<a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=<?php echo $set['siteName']; ?>%20Confession:%20<?php echo ellipsis($row['confessText'],65); ?>%20&url=<?php echo $shareURL; ?>" class="btn btn-tw btn-sm" target="_blank" data-toggle="tooltip" data-placement="top" title="<?php echo $twitterShareTooltip; ?>">
<i class="fa fa-twitter"></i>
</a>
<a href="https://plus.google.com/share?url=<?php echo $googleURL; ?>" class="btn btn-gp btn-sm" target="_blank" data-toggle="tooltip" data-placement="top" title="<?php echo $googleShareTooltip; ?>">
<i class="fa fa-google-plus"></i>
</a>
<span class="label label-confess last hasVoted text-danger"><strong><?php echo $onlyVoteOnceText; ?></strong></span>
<div class="comments">
<?php if ($row['firstName'] != '') { ?>
<span class="label label-confess last"><?php echo $postedByText.' '.clean($row['firstName']); ?></span>
<?php } else { ?>
<span class="label label-confess last"><?php echo $postedByAnon; ?></span>
<?php } ?>
</div>
</div>
<div class="clearfix"></div>
</div>
</div>


<?php if(mysqli_num_rows($results) > 0) { ?>
<hr />
<div class="commentbox">
<?php while ($rows = mysqli_fetch_assoc($results)) { ?>
<div class="comment">
<p>
<?php
if ($filterProfanity == '1') {
echo nl2br(clean(filterwords($rows['comments'])));
} else {
echo nl2br(clean($rows['comments']));
}
?>
</p>
<?php if ($rows['fName'] != '') { ?>
<span class="label label-comments"><?php echo clean($rows['fName']).' '.$commentedText.' '.timeago($rows['commentDate']); ?></span>
<?php } else { ?>
<span class="label label-comments"><?php echo $anonCommented.' '.timeago($rows['commentDate']); ?></span>
<?php } ?>
</div>
<?php } ?>
</div>
<?php } ?>


<hr />


<form action="" method="post" class="comment-form mt-30">
<div class="form-group">
<textarea class="form-control" name="commentText" id="commentText" rows="4" required="" placeholder="<?php echo $addCommentsField; ?>"><?php echo isset($_POST['commentText']) ? $_POST['commentText'] : ''; ?></textarea>
</div>
<div class="row">
<div class="col-md-4">
<div class="form-group">
<input type="text" class="form-control" name="firstName" placeholder="<?php echo $firstNamePlaceholder; ?>" value="<?php echo isset($_POST['firstName']) ? $_POST['firstName'] : ''; ?>">
</div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-4"></div>
<div class="col-md-4">
<div class="row">
<div class="col-md-4">
<img src="includes/captcha.php" id="captcha" data-toggle="tooltip" data-placement="left" class="pull-right" title="<?php echo $captchaCodeTooltip; ?>" />
</div>
<div class="col-md-8">
<div class="form-group">
<input type="text" class="form-control" name="answer" required="" maxlength="6" placeholder="<?php echo $captchaCodeTooltip; ?>">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="row">
<div class="col-md-8">
<p><?php echo $commentsQuip1; ?><strong><?php echo $isOn; ?></strong>. <?php echo $commentsQuip2; ?> <strong><?php echo $filtered; ?></strong>.</p>
</div>
<div class="col-md-4">
<input type="hidden" name="hole" id="hole" />
<input type="hidden" name="usersId" value="<?php echo $row['userId']; ?>" />
<button type="input" name="submit" value="addComment" class="btn btn-fessup btn-lg pull-right btn-icon"><i class="fa fa-check-square-o"></i> <?php echo $saveCommentsBtn; ?></button>
</div>
</div>
</form>


</div>
</section>