Entity framework, getutcdate()

Question

Can I use the SQL-function getutcdate() from entity framework to set a date field in the database when saving an entity object?

Answer 1

Yes, you can do this. The CLR function DateTime.UtcNow is mapped to the canonical function CurrentUtcDateTime, which should translate, for SQL Server to GETUTCDATE() or similar.

var q = from e in Context.MyEntities
        select new
        {
            Entity = e,
            Time = DateTime.UtcNow
        };

Answer 2

when saving an entity object

I think what is asked here is: can I make EF insert/update a database row and set GETUTCDATE() in the SQL statement.

That's not the same as first getting a DateTime value from the database, setting the result in an object's property and then saving the object. That always stores a value that's "ages" before the actual current value at save time. Therefore, all the answers telling how to get GETUTCDATE() don't really answer the question.

In EF, to this day, it's impossible to generate insert statements containing GETUTCDATE(). In update statements it's only possible by bulk updates introduced in EF-core 7

A statement like...

Products.ExecuteUpdate(p => p.SetProperty(x => x.IntroductionDate, DateTime.UtcNow));

...produces a SQL statement like this:

UPDATE [p]
SET [p].[IntroductionDate] = GETUTCDATE()
FROM [Products] AS [p]

I.e. it doesn't interpolate the C# DateTime.UtcNow value but translates it into SQL.