Using current timestamp in WordPress database insert

Other Questions Wordpress
1

Hey everyone, I’m trying to add the current date and time when inserting data into a WordPress database table. I’ve been using $wpdb->insert(), but I can’t seem to get the MySQL NOW() function to work. Here’s what I’ve tried:

$info = array(
    'record_id' => NULL,
    'customer_data' => serialize($_POST['customer']['Info']),
    'timestamp' => NOW(),
    'customer_id' => $logged_in_user->ID
);

$wpdb->insert(CUSTOMER_TABLE, (array) $info);

The NOW() part doesn’t seem to be working. Is there a way to use the current timestamp with $wpdb->insert()? Or do I need to use a different approach? Any help would be appreciated!

2

I’ve encountered this issue before, and there’s a simple solution. Instead of using NOW() directly, you need to use the current_time() function provided by WordPress. Here’s how you can modify your code:

$info = array(
    'record_id' => NULL,
    'customer_data' => serialize($_POST['customer']['Info']),
    'timestamp' => current_time('mysql'),
    'customer_id' => $logged_in_user->ID
);

$wpdb->insert(CUSTOMER_TABLE, (array) $info);

The current_time(‘mysql’) function returns a MySQL-formatted datetime string, which is exactly what you need for your timestamp column. This approach ensures that you’re using the WordPress-configured timezone, maintaining consistency across your site.

3

I’ve dealt with this exact situation in a recent project. While the suggestions above work, I found a more elegant solution using WordPress’s built-in functions. Try this approach:

$info = array(
    'record_id' => NULL,
    'customer_data' => serialize($_POST['customer']['Info']),
    'timestamp' => gmdate('Y-m-d H:i:s'),
    'customer_id' => $logged_in_user->ID
);

$wpdb->insert(CUSTOMER_TABLE, $info);

Using gmdate() ensures you’re always working with UTC time, which is generally best practice for database timestamps. It avoids potential timezone issues and integrates seamlessly with $wpdb->insert(). Just remember to convert the timestamp to the desired timezone when displaying it to users.

Also, note that you don’t need to cast $info to an array - $wpdb->insert() already expects an array as its second parameter. This small optimization can help keep your code cleaner.

4

hey mate, i had the same problem. try using PHP’s date() function instead. it’s easy:

'timestamp' => date('Y-m-d H:i:s'),

this’ll give u the current date/time in mysql format. works like a charm with $wpdb->insert(). hope this helps!