MySQL Bugs: #2040: Functions as default values in columns... give them a chance :)

Bug #2040	Functions as default values in columns... give them a chance :)
Submitted:	7 Dec 2003 18:01	Modified:	23 Nov 2005 23:45
Reporter:	Kevin Grigorenko	Email Updates:
Status:	Closed	Impact on me:	None
Category:	MySQL Server	Severity:	S4 (Feature request)
Version:		OS:
Assigned to:		CPU Architecture:	Any

Description:
Hello, now I understand that the documentation clearly states:

"... This means, for example, that you cannot set the default for a date column to be the value of a function such as NOW() or CURRENT_DATE. ..."

I was wondering if there is anything on the drawing board to re-anaylze this issue and possibly make slight modifications.  It would be a drastic and complicated change to allow all functions to be defaults, but I don't think it would be too much to ask for even at least the NOW() function in a date or datetime field, and various other logic functions per the type of field.  I think customers would love an enhancement such as this, and I would really appreciate it if the great and wonderful people at MySQL would take this into consideration.

Anyway, it's probably more complicated than I think, as it always is, but it would be a lovely enhancement!

Thanks so much for a great product!
Kevin

How to repeat:
mysql> alter table table_name alter column column_name set default "now()";

I selected Feature Request, but the Bug Report system said that I must supply something in the "How to repeat" box.  Maybe there actually was something worth your time in this request.

I would appreciate this feature, as well.

This is a great options for auditing. Please add it.

This was added for timestamps in MySQL 4.1. The description there says:

"Any of CURRENT_TIMESTAMP, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP(), or NOW() can be used in the DEFAULT and ON UPDATE clauses. They all have the same effect. "

More details at http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/4.1/en/timestamp-4-1.html

The problem is, that sometimes people want to be able to use this function for a date column, and not a timestamp. What if I want to capture only the current date?