Laravel 5 query builder and NOW() for date comparison

Question

My database (MySQL) has a timestamp field for created_at.

I have two entries, with the timestamps as follows:

• 2017-12-12 18:25:00
• 2016-10-02 18:00:00

Today is 2016-10-19 (for future reference). If I use the following query, I get no results:

    $job = $jobs->where('closing_at', '>=', 'NOW()')
            ->orderBy($sorter[0], $sorter[1])->paginate(24);

If I hardcode the date, I get the correct results, just the one future date:

    $job = $jobs->where('closing_at', '>=', "2016-10-19 00:00:00")
            ->orderBy($sorter[0], $sorter[1])->paginate(24);

I'm assuming my error is in the use of NOW() with the Eloquent query builder but I can't figure out the correct way to use this is.

Solution

Eloquent Query builder doesn't accept those specific SQL functions but as it's done within your PHP you can easily use the great Carbon Class : http://carbon.nesbot.com/docs/ :

use Carbon\Carbon;

And then,

$job = $jobs->where('closing_at', '>=', Carbon::now())
        ->orderBy($sorter[0], $sorter[1])->paginate(24);

That should do the trick.

There is also a whereDate() eloquent method : https://laravel.com/docs/5.3/queries#where-clauses

Comments

[Lars Mertens]

Instead of NOW(), i guess you need \Carbon::now()

[xAoc]

DB::raw or whereRaw should help you laravel.com/docs/5.3/queries#raw-expressions

[TH1981]

That does it. Doesn't make sense to me that Eloquent doesn't accept the basic SQL function, but it works. thanks

[2Fwebd]

That'd work on the DB:: object : laravel.com/docs/5.3/queries but not on a modal called by eloquent because it's "managed by PHP" in the first place.