briannesbitt/Carbon · error · UnknownMethodException

Method $method does not exist.

Error message

Method $method does not exist.

What it means

CarbonPeriod::__call() maps fluent unit names ('days', 'hours', 'month', singulars, etc.) to interval setters and forwards registered macros. For anything unrecognized, behavior depends on strict mode (per-period ->setStrictMode() or the date class global setting): strict mode throws UnknownMethodException ('Method X does not exist.'), non-strict mode silently returns $this and swallows the typo (src/Carbon/CarbonPeriod.php:1900).

Source

Thrown at src/Carbon/CarbonPeriod.php:1900

            case 'hour':
            case 'minutes':
            case 'minute':
            case 'seconds':
            case 'second':
            case 'milliseconds':
            case 'millisecond':
            case 'microseconds':
            case 'microsecond':
                return $this->setDateInterval((
                    // Override default P1D when instantiating via fluent setters.
                    [$this->isDefaultInterval ? new CarbonInterval('PT0S') : $this->dateInterval, $method]
                )(...$parameters));
        }

        $dateClass = $this->dateClass;

        if ($this->localStrictModeEnabled ?? $dateClass::isStrictModeEnabled()) {
            throw new UnknownMethodException($method);
        }

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Set the instance's timezone from a string or object and apply it to start/end.
     */
    public function setTimezone(DateTimeZone|string|int $timezone): static
    {
        $self = $this->copyIfImmutable();
        $self->timezoneSetting = $timezone;
        $self->timezone = CarbonTimeZone::instance($timezone);

        if ($self->startDate) {
            $self = $self->setStartDate($self->startDate->setTimezone($timezone));
        }

View on GitHub (pinned to b13f05955d)

Solutions

1. Fix the method name — check the real API: setStartDate(), setEndDate(), setDateInterval(), setRecurrences(), filter(), excludeStartDate()
2. Register the macro before use: CarbonPeriod::macro('myMethod', fn (...) => ...)
3. Verify dynamically: method_exists($period, $name) || CarbonPeriod::hasMacro($name)

Example fix

// before
$period = CarbonPeriod::create()->startdDate('2021-01-01'); // typo

// after
$period = CarbonPeriod::create()->setStartDate('2021-01-01');

function periodSupports(CarbonPeriod $period, string $method): bool
{
    return method_exists($period, $method) || CarbonPeriod::hasMacro($method);
}

if (!periodSupports($period, $name)) {
    throw new BadMethodCallException("CarbonPeriod has no method '$name'");
}
$period->{$name}(...$args);

try {
    $result = $period->{$dynamicName}();
} catch (\Carbon\Exceptions\UnknownMethodException $e) {
    // log the typo'd/misrouted call with the method name from $e->getMethod()
    throw $e;
}

When it happens

Trigger: Typos in fluent chains: ->startdDate('...') or ->setDateIntervall('P1D'); calling date methods on the period (->addDay()); calling a macro name that was never registered with CarbonPeriod::macro() — all while strict mode is enabled (the default).

Common situations: Long fluent builder chains where one segment is misspelled and fails only at runtime; upgrading code that relied on non-strict silent no-ops; macros renamed or moved between package versions.

Related errors

• Argument 1 passed to {$class}::{$method}() must be an instan
• Invalid ISO 8601 specification: {$iso}.
• $anchorDay parameter must not be set for $mode OverflowMode:
• You must specify $end or $recurrences but not both
• Invalid constructor parameters.

AI-assisted analysis of briannesbitt/Carbon@b13f05955d (2026-08-17). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a408879034ebd5ce. Report an issue: GitHub.