Python/SQLite3 raise function error

Question

I've got small problem with RAISE function in my trigger. This is my SQLite code:

CREATE TRIGGER CheckingDate
BEFORE INSERT ON MyTable
FOR EACH ROW
WHEN NEW.Start_date > NEW.End_date
BEGIN
RAISE(ABORT, 'End_date must be in the future');
END;

Start_date and end_date are SMALLDATETIME and Start_date is the result of datetime('now').

I run it in my python 2.7 program with all other sql script by sqlite3.complete_statement() and it gives Syntax Error near RAISE. Can someone tell me why? I tried ABORT, ROLLBACK, instead of ABORT or SELECT CASE or WHEN THEN in my trigger but it still gives error;

Answer 1

RAISE() is a SQL function, you'll need to use it as part of a statement; TRIGGERs only allow for UPDATE, INSERT, DELETE or SELECT statements; use it in a SELECT:

CREATE TRIGGER CheckingDate
BEFORE INSERT ON MyTable
FOR EACH ROW
WHEN NEW.Start_date > NEW.End_date
BEGIN
SELECT RAISE(ABORT, 'End_date must be in the future');
END;

This triggers the error correctly:

sqlite> insert into mytable values ('2030-1-1 20:20:20', datetime('now'));
Error: End_date must be in the future