Django snippets: Timestamps in Model

Timestamps in Model

from datetime import datetime

class My_Model(models.Model):
  date_created = models.DateTimeField()
  date_modified = models.DateTimeField()

  def save(self):
    if self.date_created == None:
      self.date_created = datetime.now()
    self.date_modified = datetime.now()
    super(My_Model, self).save()

A simple way to add date_created and date_modified timestamps to a model. Adds a date_created timestamp when the object is first created and adds a date_modified timestamp whenever the item is saved.

Note: You might be tempted instead to use: date_created=models.DateTimeField(default=datetime.now()) but that won't work as Python will calculate datetime.now() only once when it interprets your model. This means that every object created will get the same date_created timestamp until you restart your server.

Author:: lindsayrgwatt
Posted:: September 3, 2008
Language:: Python
Tags:: python save timestamp
Score:: -1 (after 1 rating)

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Archatas (on September 3, 2008):

defaults might be also set to a callable object (function, method or class) which will be evaluated before saving the model instance. So you can use this instead:

date_created=models.DateTimeField(default=datetime.now)

stringify (on September 3, 2008):

It would be easier to use the auto_now and auto_now_add arguments to the DateField and DateTimeField field types.

aarond10ster (on September 3, 2008):

I second stringify. I have been using the auto_now and auto_now_add fields for a while and have had no problems. Are they somehow different to this?

mk (on September 3, 2008):

They were supposed to be deprecated but since they have made their way into 1.0 and Django is expected to stay backwards compatible for a while auto_now and auto_now_add might stay, I don't know...

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Timestamps in Model

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