default value in column definition

deeeed · **Joined:** Sun Dec 24, 2006 10:23 pm **Posts:** 11

Hi;
how can i tell hibernate to map a default value to a field instead of a null value ?
For example i have a "lastUpdate" field and i would like hibernate to set it to the postgresql function now() .

I found a way to do this for a creationDate column which take only a default value at the first insert with:

Code:

@Column(name = "`creationDate`", insertable = false, updatable = false, columnDefinition = " timestamp default now()")
public Date getCreationDate() {
   return creationDate;
}

Now i would like the same think for:

Code:

@Temporal(TemporalType.TIMESTAMP)
@Column(name = "`updateDate`")
public Date getUpdateDate() {
   return updateDate;
}

So i need updateDate to be updatable and with now() instead of null for the default value when my property is null.
It would save me some programming time as I need to implement this in many classes.

gonzao_diaz · **Joined:** Mon Nov 26, 2007 2:29 pm **Posts:** 443

deeeed,

If your property "access" attribute is set to "property" (the default), you can add whatever you want to the getter of your bean, and hibernate would simply call that code. For example:

Code:

public Date getUpdateDate() {
   if (updateDate!=null)
      return updateDate;
  else
     return new Date();
}

deeeed · **Joined:** Sun Dec 24, 2006 10:23 pm **Posts:** 11

Ah yes thank you!
It's exactly what i wanted.