Storing local time, not server time in table

[bulrush]

In my PHP app, whenever a person logs in, I store the current date and time in the 'user' table in the 'lastlogin' column, which is a DATE type. Here is my SQL statement:

    $query = "UPDATE user SET numlogin=".$n.", ".
    "lastlogin=NOW() ".
    "WHERE userid=".$_SESSION['myuserid'].";";

 

I also increment the number of logins, just for fun.

 

However the NOW() SQL function is storing the server time (I believe). How can I get it to store my local time? I want to add 3 hours to the time I'm getting from NOW().

 

Also, my American city does Daylight savings time, so the difference will sometimes be 3 hours, sometimes 4 hours. How can I account for that?

 

Thanks.

 

[bulrush]

Perhaps I can do this another way. I have my 'lastlogin' as an SQL 'datetime' type field. Is there a PHP function which returns the local time which can be stored in this field type? Or is there a way I can get the server time and just add 3 hours using PHP?

 

[Mchl]

It is best to store a GMT time in database, and convert it to user timezone when displaying.

 

See some useful functions here:

http://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.datetime.php

[bulrush]

I don't think my Mysql server is storing the GMT time, I think it is storing the time local to the server in California. I'm in Michigan.

 

But I see what you are saying.

 

Thanks.

 

[ale8oneboy]

It is best to store a GMT time in database, and convert it to user timezone when displaying.

 

See some useful functions here:

http://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.datetime.php

 

I agree. I've stored using the local time of the server and converted before. It's not fun when you forget to change server time zones later.

[bulrush]

So GMT time does not have Daylight Savings Time like the US does in some areas?

[Mchl]

That's one of the reasons it's so useful.