GETDATE (SQL)

A date/time function that returns the current local date and time.

Synopsis

GETDATE([precision])

Arguments

Argument	Description
precision	Optional — A positive integer that specifies the time precision as the number of digits of fractional seconds. The default is 0 (no fractional seconds); this default is configurable. A precision value is optional, the parentheses are mandatory.

Description

GETDATE returns the current local date and time for this timezone as a timestamp; it adjusts for local time variants, such as Daylight Saving Time.

GETDATE returns a timestamp in %TimeStamp data type format (yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss.ffff).

To change the default datetime string format, use the SET OPTION command with the various date and time options.

GETDATE can be used in a SELECT statement select list or in the WHERE clause of a query. In designing a report, GETDATE can be used to print the current date and time each time the report is produced. GETDATE is also useful for tracking activity, such as logging the time that a transaction occurred.

GETDATE can be used in CREATE TABLE to specify a field’s default value. GETDATE is a synonym for CURRENT_TIMESTAMP and is provided for compatibility with Sybase and Microsoft SQL Server.

The CURRENT_TIMESTAMP and NOW functions can also be used to return the current local date and time as a timestamp. CURRENT_TIMESTAMP supports precision, NOW does not support precision.

To return just the current date, use CURDATE or CURRENT_DATE. To return just the current time, use CURRENT_TIME or CURTIME. These functions use the DATE or TIME data type. None of these functions support precision.

A TIMESTAMP data type stores and displays its value in the same format. The TIME and DATE data types store their values as integers in $HOROLOG format. They can be displayed in either Display format or Logical (storage) format. You can use the CAST or CONVERT function to change the data type of dates and times.

Universal Time (UTC)

GETDATE returns the current local date and time. All Caché SQL timestamp, date, and time functions except GETUTCDATE are specific to the local time zone setting. GETUTCDATE returns the current UTC (universal) date and time as a TIMESTAMP value. You can also use the ObjectScript $ZTIMESTAMP special variable to get a current timestamp that is universal (independent of time zone).

Fractional Seconds Precision

GETDATE can return up to nine digits of precision. The number of digits of precision returned is set using the precision argument. The default for the precision argument can be configured using the following:

SET OPTION with the TIME_PRECISION option.
The $SYSTEM.SQL.SetDefaultTimePrecision() method call.
Go to the Management Portal, select Configuration, SQL and Object Settings, General SQL Settings (System, Configuration, General SQL Settings). View and edit the current setting of Default time precision for GETDATE(), CURRENT_TIME, and CURRENT_TIMESTAMP.

Specify an integer 0 through 9 (inclusive) for the default number of decimal digits of precision to return. The default is 0. The actual precision returned is platform dependent; precision digits in excess of the precision available on your system are returned as zeroes.

Fractional seconds are always truncated, not rounded, to the specified precision.

Examples

The following example returns the current date and time in TIMESTAMP format:

SELECT GETDATE() AS DateTime

The following example returns the current date and time with two digits of precision:

SELECT GETDATE(2) AS DateTime

The following Embedded SQL example compares local (time zone specific) and universal (time zone independent) timestamps:

  &sql(SELECT GETDATE(),GETUTCDATE() INTO :a,:b)
  IF SQLCODE'=0 {
    WRITE !,"Error code ",SQLCODE }
  ELSE {
    WRITE !,"Local timestamp is:  ",a
    WRITE !,"UTC timestamp is:    ",b
    WRITE !,"$ZTIMESTAMP is:      ",$ZDATETIME($ZTIMESTAMP,3,,3)
 }

The following example sets the LastUpdate field in the selected row of the Orders table to the current system date and time. GETDATE returns the current date and time as an ODBC timestamp:

UPDATE Orders SET LastUpdate = GETDATE()
  WHERE Orders.OrderNumber=:ord

In the following example, the CREATE TABLE statement uses GETDATE to set a default value for the StartDate field:

CREATE TABLE Employees(
     EmpId       INT NOT NULL,
     LastName    CHAR(40) NOT NULL,
     FirstName   CHAR(20) NOT NULL,
     StartDate   TIMESTAMP DEFAULT GETDATE())