dbcli · rolandwalker · Jul 5, 2025 · Jul 4, 2025
diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+Upcoming Release (TBD)
+======================
+
+Features
+--------
+
+* Keybindings to insert current date/datetime.
+
+
 1.32.0 (2025/07/04)
 ======================
 

diff --git a/doc/key_bindings.rst b/doc/key_bindings.rst
@@ -63,3 +63,27 @@ C-x u (Emacs-mode)
 Unprettify and dedent current statement, usually into one line.
 
 Only accepts buffers containing single SQL statements.
+
+##################
+C-o d (Emacs-mode)
+##################
+
+Insert the current date at cursor, defined by NOW() on the server.
+
+####################
+C-o C-d (Emacs-mode)
+####################
+
+Insert the quoted current date at cursor.
+
+##################
+C-o t (Emacs-mode)
+##################
+
+Insert the current datetime at cursor.
+
+####################
+C-o C-t (Emacs-mode)
+####################
+
+Insert the quoted current datetime at cursor.
diff --git a/mycli/key_bindings.py b/mycli/key_bindings.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 from prompt_toolkit.filters import completion_is_selected, emacs_mode
 from prompt_toolkit.key_binding import KeyBindings
 
+from mycli import shortcuts
 from mycli.packages.toolkit.fzf import search_history
 
 _logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -102,6 +103,42 @@ def _(event):
                 cursorpos_abs -= 1
             b.cursor_position = min(cursorpos_abs, len(b.text))
 
+    @kb.add("c-o", "d", filter=emacs_mode)
+    def _(event):
+        """
+        Insert the current date.
+        """
+        _logger.debug("Detected <C-o d> key.")
+
+        event.app.current_buffer.insert_text(shortcuts.server_date(mycli.sqlexecute))
+
+    @kb.add("c-o", "c-d", filter=emacs_mode)
+    def _(event):
+        """
+        Insert the quoted current date.
+        """
+        _logger.debug("Detected <C-o C-d> key.")
+
+        event.app.current_buffer.insert_text(shortcuts.server_date(mycli.sqlexecute, quoted=True))
+
+    @kb.add("c-o", "t", filter=emacs_mode)
+    def _(event):
+        """
+        Insert the current datetime.
+        """
+        _logger.debug("Detected <C-o t> key.")
+
+        event.app.current_buffer.insert_text(shortcuts.server_datetime(mycli.sqlexecute))
+
+    @kb.add("c-o", "c-t", filter=emacs_mode)
+    def _(event):
+        """
+        Insert the quoted current datetime.
+        """
+        _logger.debug("Detected <C-o C-t> key.")
+
+        event.app.current_buffer.insert_text(shortcuts.server_datetime(mycli.sqlexecute, quoted=True))
+
     @kb.add("c-r", filter=emacs_mode)
     def _(event):
         """Search history using fzf or default reverse incremental search."""

diff --git a/mycli/shortcuts.py b/mycli/shortcuts.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+def server_date(sqlexecute, quoted: bool = False) -> str:
+    server_date_str = sqlexecute.now().strftime('%Y-%m-%d')
+    if quoted:
+        return f"'{server_date_str}'"
+    else:
+        return server_date_str
+
+
+def server_datetime(sqlexecute, quoted: bool = False) -> str:
+    server_datetime_str = sqlexecute.now().strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')
+    if quoted:
+        return f"'{server_datetime_str}'"
+    else:
+        return server_datetime_str
diff --git a/mycli/sqlexecute.py b/mycli/sqlexecute.py
@@ -94,6 +94,8 @@ class SQLExecute(object):
                                     where table_schema = '%s'
                                     order by table_name,ordinal_position"""
 
+    now_query = """SELECT NOW()"""
+
     def __init__(
         self,
         database,
@@ -393,6 +395,12 @@ def users(self):
                 for row in cur:
                     yield row
 
+    def now(self):
+        with self.conn.cursor() as cur:
+            _logger.debug("Now Query. sql: %r", self.now_query)
+            cur.execute(self.now_query)
+            return cur.fetchone()[0]
+
     def get_connection_id(self):
         if not self.connection_id:
             self.reset_connection_id()

diff --git a/test/features/basic_commands.feature b/test/features/basic_commands.feature
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 Feature: run the cli,
   call the help command,
+  check our application name,
+  insert the date,
   exit the cli
 
   Scenario: run "\?" command
@@ -14,6 +16,10 @@ Feature: run the cli,
      When we run query to check application_name
       then we see found
 
+  Scenario: insert the date
+     When we send "ctrl + o, ctrl + d"
+      then we see the date
+
   Scenario: run the cli and exit
      When we send "ctrl + d"
       then dbcli exits
diff --git a/test/features/steps/basic_commands.py b/test/features/steps/basic_commands.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 """
 
+import datetime
 import tempfile
 from textwrap import dedent
 
@@ -29,6 +30,16 @@ def step_ctrl_d(context):
     context.exit_sent = True
 
 
+@when('we send "ctrl + o, ctrl + d"')
+def step_ctrl_o_ctrl_d(context):
+    """Send ctrl + o, ctrl + d to insert the quoted date."""
+    context.cli.send("SELECT ")
+    context.cli.sendcontrol("o")
+    context.cli.sendcontrol("d")
+    context.cli.send(" AS dt")
+    context.cli.sendline("")
+
+
 @when(r'we send "\?" command')
 def step_send_help(context):
     r"""Send \?
@@ -75,6 +86,29 @@ def step_see_found(context):
     )
 
 
+@then("we see the date")
+def step_see_date(context):
+    # There are some edge cases in which this test could fail,
+    # such as running near midnight when the test database has
+    # a different TZ setting than the system.
+    date_str = datetime.datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
+    wrappers.expect_exact(
+        context,
+        context.conf["pager_boundary"]
+        + "\r"
+        + dedent(f"""
+            +------------+\r
+            | dt         |\r
+            +------------+\r
+            | {date_str} |\r
+            +------------+\r
+            \r
+        """)
+        + context.conf["pager_boundary"],
+        timeout=5,
+    )
+
+
 @then("we confirm the destructive warning")
 def step_confirm_destructive_command(context):  # noqa
     """Confirm destructive command."""