UPDATE statement syntax: UPDATE //component_name// SET //col_name1//=//expr1// [, //col_name2//=//expr2// ...] [WHERE //where_condition//] [ORDER BY ...] [LIMIT //record_count//] * The UPDATE statement updates columns of existing records in //component_name// with new values and returns the number of affected records. * The SET clause indicates which columns to modify and the values they should be given. * The optional WHERE clause specifies the conditions that identify which records to update. Without WHERE clause, all records are updated. * The optional ORDER BY clause specifies the order in which the records are being updated. * The LIMIT clause places a limit on the number of records that can be updated. You can use LIMIT row_count to restrict the scope of the UPDATE. A LIMIT clause is a **rows-matched restriction** not a rows-changed restriction. The statement stops as soon as it has found //record_count// rows that satisfy the WHERE clause, whether or not they actually were changed. $q = 'UPDATE Account SET amount = amount + 200 WHERE id > 200'; $rows = $this->conn->query($q); // the same query using the query interface $q = new Doctrine_Query(); $rows = $q->update('Account') ->set('amount', 'amount + 200') ->where('id > 200') ->execute(); print $rows; // the number of affected rows