How to update SQL date using NOW()

Question

Basically I have a simple login form. In the database I have a 'last_logged' column and would like to update it with the current date and time every time someone logs in.

I currently have this query:

    UPDATE users SET last_logged = "NOW()" WHERE id = 1

But it doesn't update the column to the current date. Any ideas why?

Why has this been downvoted? This is a perfectly reasonable question for a beginner programmer. — BeRecursive, Jun 17 '12 at 15:06

score 21 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 16 '12 at 15:31

21

Remove the quotes from NOW(). As a function call, it should be unquoted.

UPDATE users SET last_logged = NOW() WHERE id = 1

answered Jun 16 '12 at 15:31

Michael Berkowski

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Also, some RDMBS use SYSDATE instead of NOW(). – Paul Tomblin Jun 16 '12 at 15:32
nice :) it worked. something so simple but took me hours to do it! cheers mate – CarlTaylor1989 Jun 16 '12 at 18:04

whytheq · Answer 2 · 2015-04-09T12:06:36.957

3

MS SQL uses GETDATE() rather than NOW()

(Just an FYI)
In SQL-Server I now use SYSDATETIME():

DECLARE @now DATETIME = DATEADD(dd,DATEDIFF(dd,'19000101',SYSDATETIME()),'19000101');

edited Apr 09 '15 at 12:06

answered Jun 16 '12 at 15:49

whytheq

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No, date and time functions are database specific. Whether or not `now()` is valid all depends on their database type (which they did not specify). I suspect you meant **MS SQL** rather than SQL. – Leigh Jun 17 '12 at 06:17
@Leigh I did mean MS SQL- for what it's worth (-1!) I'll edit my post – whytheq Jun 17 '12 at 17:25
Thanks for correcting it. For some reason SO's not letting me reverse the -1 and locked my vote. Can you try updating the post again? – Leigh Jun 18 '12 at 01:05

How to update SQL date using NOW()

2 Answers2