php - how to get date from excel using PHPExcel library

Question

I am trying to get Date from excel using PHPExcel. But I am not getting date, I am getting string value which is not seconds from 1970 .

Code I have tried is

$InvDate=trim($excel->getActiveSheet()->getCell('B' . $i)->getValue());

Answer 1

Try use

$cell = $excel->getActiveSheet()->getCell('B' . $i);
$InvDate= $cell->getValue();
if(PHPExcel_Shared_Date::isDateTime($cell)) {
     $InvDate = date($format, PHPExcel_Shared_Date::ExcelToPHP($InvDate)); 
}

P.S.

@DiegoDD: Should mention that $format is the desired format for the date. e.g.:

 $InvDate = date($format = "Y-m-d", PHPExcel_Shared_Date::ExcelToPHP($InvDate)); 

P.P.S. 2019 Look at answer @gabriel-lupu, with new version of PhpOffice https://stackoverflow.com/a/45070205/426533