How to get current timestamp with CQL while using Command Line?

I am trying to insert into my CQL table from the command line. I am able to insert everything. But I am wondering if I have a timestamp column, then how can I insert into timestamp column from the command line? Basically, I want to insert current timestamp whenever I am inserting into my CQL table -

Currently, I am hardcoding the timestamp whenever I am inserting into my below CQL table -

CREATE TABLE TEST (ID TEXT, NAME TEXT, VALUE TEXT, LAST_MODIFIED_DATE TIMESTAMP, PRIMARY KEY (ID));

INSERT INTO TEST (ID, NAME, VALUE, LAST_MODIFIED_DATE) VALUES ('1', 'elephant',  'SOME_VALUE', 1382655211694);

Is there any way to get the current timestamp using some predefined functions in CQL so that while inserting into above table, I can use that method to get the current timestamp and then insert into above table?

You can use the timeuuid functions now() and dateof() (or in later versions of Cassandra, toTimestamp()), e.g.,

INSERT INTO TEST (ID, NAME, VALUE, LAST_MODIFIED_DATE)
                  VALUES ('2', 'elephant',  'SOME_VALUE', dateof(now()));

The now function takes no arguments and generates a new unique timeuuid (at the time where the statement using it is executed). The dateOf function takes a timeuuid argument and extracts the embedded timestamp. (Taken from the CQL documentation on timeuuid functions).

Cassandra >= 2.2.0-rc2

dateof() was deprecated in Cassandra 2.2.0-rc2. For later versions you should replace its use with toTimestamp(), as follows:

INSERT INTO TEST (ID, NAME, VALUE, LAST_MODIFIED_DATE)
                  VALUES ('2', 'elephant',  'SOME_VALUE', toTimestamp(now()));

In new version of cassandra could use toTimestamp(now()), and note that function dateof is deprecated.

e.g

insert into dummy(id, name, size, create_date) values (1, 'Eric', 12, toTimestamp(now()));

There are actually 2 different ways for different purposes to insert the current timestamp. From the docs:

> Inserting the current timestamp > > Use functions to insert the current > date into date or timestamp fields as follows: > > Current date and time > into timestamp field: toTimestamp(now()) sets the timestamp to the > current time of the coordinator. > > Current date (midnight) into > timestamp field: toTimestamp(toDate(now())) sets the timestamp to the > current date beginning of day (midnight).