How to compare two dates in Objective-C

Question

I have two dates: 2009-05-11 and the current date. I want to check whether the given date is the current date or not. How is this possible.

Answer 1

Cocoa has couple of methods for this:

in NSDate

– isEqualToDate:  
– earlierDate:  
– laterDate:  
– compare:

When you use - (NSComparisonResult)compare:(NSDate *)anotherDate ,you get back one of these:

The receiver and anotherDate are exactly equal to each other, NSOrderedSame
The receiver is later in time than anotherDate, NSOrderedDescending
The receiver is earlier in time than anotherDate, NSOrderedAscending.

example:

NSDate * now = [NSDate date];
NSDate * mile = [[NSDate alloc] initWithString:@"2001-03-24 10:45:32 +0600"];
NSComparisonResult result = [now compare:mile];

NSLog(@"%@", now);
NSLog(@"%@", mile);

switch (result)
{
    case NSOrderedAscending: NSLog(@"%@ is in future from %@", mile, now); break;
    case NSOrderedDescending: NSLog(@"%@ is in past from %@", mile, now); break;
    case NSOrderedSame: NSLog(@"%@ is the same as %@", mile, now); break;
    default: NSLog(@"erorr dates %@, %@", mile, now); break;
}

[mile release];

Answer 2

Here buddy. This function will match your date with any specific date and will be able to tell whether they match or not. You can also modify the components to match your requirements.

- (BOOL)isSameDay:(NSDate*)date1 otherDay:(NSDate*)date2 {
NSCalendar* calendar = [NSCalendar currentCalendar];

unsigned unitFlags = NSYearCalendarUnit | NSMonthCalendarUnit |  NSDayCalendarUnit;
NSDateComponents* comp1 = [calendar components:unitFlags fromDate:date1];
NSDateComponents* comp2 = [calendar components:unitFlags fromDate:date2];

return [comp1 day]   == [comp2 day] &&
[comp1 month] == [comp2 month] &&
[comp1 year]  == [comp2 year];}

Regards, Naveed Butt

Answer 3

NSDate *today = [NSDate date]; // it will give you current date
NSDate *newDate = [NSDate dateWithString:@"xxxxxx"]; // your date 

NSComparisonResult result; 
//has three possible values: NSOrderedSame,NSOrderedDescending, NSOrderedAscending

result = [today compare:newDate]; // comparing two dates

if(result==NSOrderedAscending)
    NSLog(@"today is less");
else if(result==NSOrderedDescending)
    NSLog(@"newDate is less");
else
    NSLog(@"Both dates are same");

There are other ways that you may use to compare an NSDate objects. Each of the methods will be more efficient at certain tasks. I have chosen the compare method because it will handle most of your basic date comparison needs.

Answer 4

This category offers a neat way to compare NSDates:

#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>

@interface NSDate (Compare)

-(BOOL) isLaterThanOrEqualTo:(NSDate*)date;
-(BOOL) isEarlierThanOrEqualTo:(NSDate*)date;
-(BOOL) isLaterThan:(NSDate*)date;
-(BOOL) isEarlierThan:(NSDate*)date;
//- (BOOL)isEqualToDate:(NSDate *)date; already part of the NSDate API

@end

And the implementation:

#import "NSDate+Compare.h"

@implementation NSDate (Compare)

-(BOOL) isLaterThanOrEqualTo:(NSDate*)date {
    return !([self compare:date] == NSOrderedAscending);
}

-(BOOL) isEarlierThanOrEqualTo:(NSDate*)date {
    return !([self compare:date] == NSOrderedDescending);
}
-(BOOL) isLaterThan:(NSDate*)date {
    return ([self compare:date] == NSOrderedDescending);

}
-(BOOL) isEarlierThan:(NSDate*)date {
    return ([self compare:date] == NSOrderedAscending);
}

@end

Simple to use:

if([aDateYouWantToCompare isEarlierThanOrEqualTo:[NSDate date]]) // [NSDate date] is now
{
    // do your thing ...
}