time_since.php

<?php

/**
 * Return a "human-readable" time such as 8 hours ago.
 * 
 * @author Dan O'Connor, Modified by Ethan Taubman
 * 
 * @param string $time such as: 2013-03-18 21:13:59
 * @param string $format optional such as: "<em>%d</em> %s%s since last post."
 * 
 * @return string
*/

function time_since($time, $format = "%d %s%s")
{
    $date = new \DateTime;
    $date->setTimestamp(strtotime($time));
    $interval = $date->diff(new \DateTime('now'));

    $measures = array(
                    'y'    => 'year',
                    'm'    => 'month',
                    'd'    => 'day',
                    'h'    => 'hour',
                    'i'    => 'minute',
                    's'    => 'second'
                );

    foreach ($measures as $k => $v) {
        $digit = $interval->{$k};
        if ($digit !== 0) {
            return sprintf($format,$digit,$v,($digit > 1 ? 's' : ''));
        }
    }

    return FALSE;
}