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  public function epoch($_value = "", $_format = "Y-m-d H:i:s")
  {
     // Description: This function tries to cope with as many numerical time and date
     //    formats as possible.
     // Parameters:
     //    $_value: The time and/or date string (dd-mm-yyy, yyy-mm-dd, hh:mm:ss etc).
     //    $_format: The output format options (same as PHP "date" function).

     $epoch = 0;
     $pm = '';

     if(date("U", $_value) != $_value) {
        if(strpos($_value, 'pm'))
           $pm = 'pm';
        if(strpos($_value, 'am'))
           $pm = 'am';
        $_value = str_replace('am', '', $_value);
        $_value = str_replace('pm', '', $_value);

        while(gettype(strpos($_value, '  ')) == 'integer')
           $_value = str_replace('  ', ' ', $_value);
        $_value = str_replace('-', '/', $_value);
        $_value = str_replace('.', '/', $_value);
        $_value = str_replace('\\', '/', $_value);

        $datetime = explode(' ', $_value);
        if(gettype(strpos($datetime[0], '/')) == 'integer') {
           $date = $datetime[0];
           $time = count($datetime) == 2?$datetime[1]:'';
        }
        else {
           $date = count($datetime) == 2?$datetime[1]:'';
           $time = $datetime[0];
        }

        $date = explode('/', $date);
        if(count($date) != 3)
           $date = explode('/', '00/00/0000');

        if(strlen($date[2]) > strlen($date[0]))
           $date = array_reverse($date);

        $time = explode(':', $time);
        if($time[0] > 12)
           $pm = '';
        if(($time[0] != 12) && ($pm == 'pm'))
           $time[0] += 12;
        else
           if(($time[0] == 12) && ($pm == 'am'))
              $time[0] += 12;

        if($time[0] == 24)
           $time[0] = 00;

        $epoch = mktime(0, 0, 0, $date[1], $date[2], $date[0]);
        if($epoch < 0)
           $epoch = 0;
        if(count($time) >= 1)
           $epoch += (60 * 60 * $time[0]);
        if(count($time) >= 2)
           $epoch += (60 * $time[1]);
        if(count($time) == 3)
           $epoch += $time[2];
     }
     else
        $epoch = $_value;

     if($_format)
        return(date($_format, $epoch));
     else
        return($epoch);
  }