Reports the approximate distance in time between two Time or Date objects or integers as seconds

gistfile2.txt

note_001_distance_of_time_in_words.rb

distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, to_time = 0, include_seconds = false, options = {})

Set include_seconds to true if you want more detailed approximations when distance < 1 min, 29 secs Distances are reported based on the following table:

0 <-> 29 secs                                                             # => less than a minute
30 secs <-> 1 min, 29 secs                                                # => 1 minute
1 min, 30 secs <-> 44 mins, 29 secs                                       # => [2..44] minutes
44 mins, 30 secs <-> 89 mins, 29 secs                                     # => about 1 hour
89 mins, 29 secs <-> 23 hrs, 59 mins, 29 secs                             # => about [2..24] hours
23 hrs, 59 mins, 29 secs <-> 47 hrs, 59 mins, 29 secs                     # => 1 day
47 hrs, 59 mins, 29 secs <-> 29 days, 23 hrs, 59 mins, 29 secs            # => [2..29] days
29 days, 23 hrs, 59 mins, 30 secs <-> 59 days, 23 hrs, 59 mins, 29 secs   # => about 1 month
59 days, 23 hrs, 59 mins, 30 secs <-> 1 yr minus 1 sec                    # => [2..12] months
1 yr <-> 1 yr, 3 months                                                   # => about 1 year
1 yr, 3 months <-> 1 yr, 9 months                                         # => over 1 year
1 yr, 9 months <-> 2 yr minus 1 sec                                       # => almost 2 years
2 yrs <-> max time or date                                                # => (same rules as 1 yr)
With include_seconds = true and the difference < 1 minute 29 seconds:
0-4   secs      # => less than 5 seconds
5-9   secs      # => less than 10 seconds
10-19 secs      # => less than 20 seconds
20-39 secs      # => half a minute
40-59 secs      # => less than a minute
60-89 secs      # => 1 minute

Examples
from_time = Time.now
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time + 50.minutes)        # => about 1 hour
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, 50.minutes.from_now)           # => about 1 hour
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time + 15.seconds)        # => less than a minute
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time + 15.seconds, true)  # => less than 20 seconds
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, 3.years.from_now)              # => about 3 years
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time + 60.hours)          # => about 3 days
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time + 45.seconds, true)  # => less than a minute
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time - 45.seconds, true)  # => less than a minute
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, 76.seconds.from_now)           # => 1 minute
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time + 1.year + 3.days)   # => about 1 year
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time + 3.years + 6.months) # => over 3 years
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, from_time + 4.years + 9.days + 30.minutes + 5.seconds) # => about 4 years

to_time = Time.now + 6.years + 19.days
distance_of_time_in_words(from_time, to_time, true)     # => about 6 years
distance_of_time_in_words(to_time, from_time, true)     # => about 6 years
distance_of_time_in_words(Time.now, Time.now)           # => less than a minute

link: http://api.rubyonrails.org/classes/ActionView/Helpers/DateHelper.html#method-i-distance_of_time_in_words