Converting TimeStamp to usable date

Question

I have been using this script, which seems to be all over the web, but keep getting a different date to what is in my database:
    <?php do { ?>
      <h3><?php echo $row_GetsNewsText['post_title']; ?></h3>
      <?php $datetime = $row_GetsNewsText['post_date'];
  $year = substr( $datetime, 0, 4 );
  $mon = substr( $datetime, 4, 2 );
  $day = substr( $datetime, 6, 2 );
  $hour = substr( $datetime, 8, 2 );
  $min = substr( $datetime, 10, 2 );
  $sec = substr( $datetime, 12, 2 );
  $orgdate = date('F jS, Y', mktime( $hour, $min, $sec, $mon, $day, $year ) );
  ?>
      <h4><?php echo $orgdate; ?><?php /*?><?php echo $row_GetsNewsText['post_date']; ?><?php */?></h4>
      <p><?php echo $row_GetsNewsText['post_content']; ?></p>
      <?php } while ($row_GetsNewsText = mysql_fetch_assoc($GetsNewsText)); ?>
I don't understand what the ORDER of the variables in $orgdate relates to? I have tried them in different orders which has variable effects, so this must be the key I guess?
The two entries SHOULD display:
January 8th, 2010        and      June 15th, 2010
But what I get is:
December 1st, 2009    and    December 6th, 2009
I keep seeing January = 1st and June = 6th, so presumably I am getting close???
I am sure it is something obvious, but can't find it.

Answer 1

colinwalton wrote:
Hi, in my effort to try to understand php more, can you possibly explain what this part " -> " of the script means please:
It's the operator used to access the methods or properties of an object.
DateTime() is a class, which is why it uses the new keyword. format() is one of the class's methods. There is an old-fashioned procedural equivalent, but it's recommended to use the object-oriented approach instead (http://docs.php.net/manual/en/datetime.format.php).
Time for you to start learning about classes and objects in PHP 5: http://docs.php.net/manual/en/language.oop5.php. There's a lot to absorb in that section. You don't need to learn it all, but it's useful to know how to use classes and objects. Most new features in PHP use objects, so it's an important subject.