now() in PL/pgSQL Functions

This is in version 8.1.4.

I've noticed what seems to be a strange behavior - it may be by design, but
I figured I'd ask.

Run this simple test function:

create or replace function test() RETURNS bool AS '

begin

raise notice ''%'',now();

for i IN 0..50000000 loop

end loop;

raise notice ''%'',now();

return true;

end;

'

LANGUAGE 'plpgsql';

It should print the current date, wait a few seconds (by counting to 50
million)

And then print the current date. Clearly, the two dates are not identical;
however this is how it executes:

catalog=# select test();

NOTICE: 2007-01-30 09:33:19.323702-05

NOTICE: 2007-01-30 09:33:19.323702-05

test

------

t

(1 row)

For some reason it is using the same value for both "now()" calls. Is this a
bug, or by design? If it's by design what can I do to get the right time. I
know that the function only returns when it's finished executing, but
shouldn't now() return the actual time and not the time that the function
begins?

Thanks,

Yosef Haas

yosef(at)karatedepot(dot)com