Database Date & Time Format

Using `$this->db->platform()` seems like the best idea, but given different drivers (such as MSSQL), prefer different formats, it seems like this should be part of the database library?

In most cases, the database library doesn't have any metadata for the fields you are working with, unless you request that data (and it usually just returns that data to you). In other words, the database library doesn't even know you're working with a date, and has no concept of what format is required for the various date formats supported by each platform.

Even when using Query Builder, the database library in CI is a relatively low-level library with a limited set of features and relatively low overhead.

Another option to consider would be to build a library in the manner of DB_Forge or DB_Utility, both of which load a driver based on which database platform is currently configured, but neither of which are loaded directly by the DB class (the way DB_Query_Builder is). This means that you could extend the loader to add another method, using the dbutil() and dbforge() methods as a reference, build an abstract class as the base for the library, then add the platform-specific drivers you need. So, it would be possible to add any number of features to the database library without having to modify the CI code directly.

I understand that, I'm not sure what I'm attempting to accomplish is being understood correctly, so let me try and start again.

The database library allows you to work with databases regardless of the database platform / driver being used, but as it stands, inserting dates into a database requires you to know what platform / driver the target is to correctly format the date.

I want to either be able to insert a native PHP date as the value and CodeIgniter parse that to the correct format, or be able to get the correct date and time format using something like `$this->db->date_time_format`.

If these are viable options, I'd like to create a pull request with the necessary changes.

Kristian Matthews-Kennington
Apple Certified Associate Mac Integration & Management 10.10