How to have an automatic timestamp in SQLite? - sqlite

Question

I have an SQLite database, version 3 and I am using C# to create an application that uses this database.
I want to use a timestamp field in a table for concurrency, but I notice that when I insert a new record, this field is not set, and is null.
For example, in MS SQL Server if I use a timestamp field it is updated by the database and I don't have to set it by myself. Is this possible in SQLite?

Answer 1

Just declare a default value for a field:
CREATE TABLE MyTable(
ID INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
Name TEXT,
Other STUFF,
Timestamp DATETIME DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);
However, if your INSERT command explicitly sets this field to NULL, it will be set to NULL.

Answer 2

You can create TIMESTAMP field in table on the SQLite, see this:
CREATE TABLE my_table (
id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT NOT NULL,
name VARCHAR(64),
sqltime TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP NOT NULL
);
INSERT INTO my_table(name, sqltime) VALUES('test1', '2010-05-28T15:36:56.200');
INSERT INTO my_table(name, sqltime) VALUES('test2', '2010-08-28T13:40:02.200');
INSERT INTO my_table(name) VALUES('test3');
This is the result:
SELECT * FROM my_table;

Answer 3

Reading datefunc a working example of automatic datetime completion would be:
sqlite> CREATE TABLE 'test' (
...> 'id' INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
...> 'dt1' DATETIME NOT NULL DEFAULT (datetime(CURRENT_TIMESTAMP, 'localtime')),
...> 'dt2' DATETIME NOT NULL DEFAULT (strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S', 'now', 'localtime')),
...> 'dt3' DATETIME NOT NULL DEFAULT (strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%f', 'now', 'localtime'))
...> );
Let's insert some rows in a way that initiates automatic datetime completion:
sqlite> INSERT INTO 'test' ('id') VALUES (null);
sqlite> INSERT INTO 'test' ('id') VALUES (null);
The stored data clearly shows that the first two are the same but not the third function:
sqlite> SELECT * FROM 'test';
1|2017-09-26 09:10:08|2017-09-26 09:10:08|2017-09-26 09:10:08.053
2|2017-09-26 09:10:56|2017-09-26 09:10:56|2017-09-26 09:10:56.894
Pay attention that SQLite functions are surrounded in parenthesis!
How difficult was this to show it in one example?
Have fun!

Answer 4

you can use triggers. works very well
CREATE TABLE MyTable(
ID INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
Name TEXT,
Other STUFF,
Timestamp DATETIME);
CREATE TRIGGER insert_Timestamp_Trigger
AFTER INSERT ON MyTable
BEGIN
UPDATE MyTable SET Timestamp =STRFTIME('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%f', 'NOW') WHERE id = NEW.id;
END;
CREATE TRIGGER update_Timestamp_Trigger
AFTER UPDATE On MyTable
BEGIN
UPDATE MyTable SET Timestamp = STRFTIME('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%f', 'NOW') WHERE id = NEW.id;
END;

Answer 5

To complement answers above...
If you are using EF, adorn the property with Data Annotation [Timestamp], then
go to the overrided OnModelCreating, inside your context class, and add this Fluent API code:
modelBuilder.Entity<YourEntity>()
.Property(b => b.Timestamp)
.ValueGeneratedOnAddOrUpdate()
.IsConcurrencyToken()
.ForSqliteHasDefaultValueSql("CURRENT_TIMESTAMP");
It will make a default value to every data that will be insert into this table.

Answer 6

you can use the custom datetime by using...
create table noteTable3
(created_at DATETIME DEFAULT (STRFTIME('%d-%m-%Y %H:%M', 'NOW','localtime')),
title text not null, myNotes text not null);
use 'NOW','localtime' to get the current system date else it will show some past or other time in your Database after insertion time in your db.
Thanks You...

Answer 7

If you use the SQLite DB-Browser you can change the default value in this way:
Choose database structure
select the table
modify table
in your column put under 'default value' the value: =(datetime('now','localtime'))
I recommend to make an update of your database before, because a wrong format in the value can lead to problems in the SQLLite Browser.