Eloquent update() failing due to updated_at table ambiguity - php

Question

Ok, this question stems from a Laravel 4.1.23 install. I'm attempting to update multiple records using the Eloquent update() method on a query that includes a join:
ChildSchoolYear::whereNull('exit_date')->
join('school_years', 'child_school_years.school_year_id','=','school_years.id')->
update(array('child_school_years.exit_date'=>'`school_years`.`end_date`',
'child_school_years.editor_id'=>$userId))
Laravel is generating the correct SQL for the query content I'm providing above, but the full SQL statement generated is
update `child_school_years`
inner join `school_years` on `child_school_years`.`school_year_id` = `school_years`.`id`
set `child_school_years`.`exit_date` = `school_years`.`end_date`,
`child_school_years`.`editor_id` = 2,
`updated_at` = 2014-08-15 02:00:33 where `exit_date` is null)
This would work except that the automatically added updated_at field exists in both the child_school_years and school_years tables, so the addition of the field by Laravel triggers the Exception Integrity constraint violation: 1052 Column 'updated_at' in field list is ambiguous.
Any suggestions on how to domesticate the updated_at piece? I'd be happy to have the field updated, but I'll live without it if necessary should it be possible to eliminate it.

Answer 1

There is no way to alter Eloquent behaviour, even adjusting UPDATED_AT column won't help, so you need to use either simple Query\Builder, like already suggested, or one of the methods below, that I find a bit better:
// easiest way
ChildSchoolYear::whereNull('exit_date')
->join('school_years', 'child_school_years.school_year_id','=','school_years.id')
->getQuery() // get underlying base Query\Builder
->update(
array(
'child_school_years.exit_date' => '`school_years`.`end_date`',
'child_school_years.editor_id' => $userId,
'child_school_years.updated_at' => Carbon\Carbon::now(),
)
);
// also would work, temporary turn off auto timestamps
with($model = new ChildSchoolYear)->timestamps = false;
// above is the same as:
// $model = new ChildSchoolYear;
// $model->timestamps = false;
$model->whereNull('exit_date')
->join('school_years', 'child_school_years.school_year_id','=','school_years.id')
->update(
array(
'child_school_years.exit_date' => '`school_years`.`end_date`',
'child_school_years.editor_id' => $userId,
'child_school_years.updated_at' => Carbon\Carbon::now(),
)
);