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What is the proper php/mySQL syntax to insert a date/timestamp into a text column of mysql table using insert command

I've been trying to insert a record into a table using some values from a form, which was working until
i tried adding a timestamp field, it only seems to work if i put a static string in it. I though the code below should work, but it doesn't. Here is an example string that is contained in the variable today
"November 14, 2008, 8:46 am"
I figured maybe my problem is on the comma's or the colon, but don't know what to do about it.

$today = date("F j, Y, g:i a");

$query = "insert into myTable values (NULL,$today)";

$result = $db->query($query);

I also tried using SELECT NOW(); which works on the command line to mySQL, but again don't know how to syntax it correctly to be used as an input to the insert statement

The column i'm trying to insert it into is defined as char(30)

ZeroWorks

Hi!
Try this
November 14, 2008, 8:46 am
$query = "insert into myTable values (NULL, DATE_FORMAT(NOW(), '%M %e, %Y, %h:%i %p'))";
More info on
http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/date-and-time-functions.html#function_date-format
Hope it helps!

NoiS

To insert the current datetime

USE

$sql = "INSERT INTO table (datetime_timestamp_field) VALUES (NOW())";

for your code the best way is use YEAR-MONTH-DAY HOUR:MIN:SEC

$today = date("Y-m-d H:i:s");

$query = "insert into myTable values (NULL,$today)";

$result = $db->query($query);

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Roger Baklund

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mitchguy

ASKER

The apostrophes worked!
A rookie mistake, I had tried that before, but forgot to try it again after changing my field from char(20) to char(30) after i noticed my string was longer than 20.

Thanks for all of your inputs.