3 files changed, 23 insertions, 6 deletions
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods/write.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods/write.rb
index 3c4dab304e..7661676f8c 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods/write.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods/write.rb
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ module ActiveRecord
           @attributes[attr_name] = value
         end
       end
+      alias_method :raw_write_attribute, :write_attribute
 
       private
         # Handle *= for method_missing.
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/persistence.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/persistence.rb
index 17a64b6e86..a916c88348 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/persistence.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/persistence.rb
@@ -119,6 +119,20 @@ module ActiveRecord
       save(:validate => false)
     end
 
+    # Updates a single attribute of an object, without calling save.
+    #
+    # * Validation is skipped.
+    # * Callbacks are skipped.
+    # * updated_at/updated_on column is not updated if that column is available.
+    #
+    def update_column(name, value)
+      name = name.to_s
+      raise ActiveRecordError, "#{name} is marked as readonly" if self.class.readonly_attributes.include?(name)
+      raise ActiveRecordError, "can not update on a new record object" unless persisted?
+      raw_write_attribute(name, value)
+      self.class.update_all({ name => value }, self.class.primary_key => id) == 1
+    end
+
     # Updates the attributes of the model from the passed-in hash and saves the
     # record, all wrapped in a transaction. If the object is invalid, the saving
     # will fail and false will be returned.
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/relation/finder_methods.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/relation/finder_methods.rb
index 25e23a9d55..563843f3cc 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/relation/finder_methods.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/relation/finder_methods.rb
@@ -123,9 +123,10 @@ module ActiveRecord
       end
     end
 
-    # Same as #first! but raises RecordNotFound if no record is returned
-    def first!(*args)
-      self.first(*args) or raise RecordNotFound
+    # Same as +first+ but raises <tt>ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound</tt> if no record
+    # is found. Note that <tt>first!</tt> accepts no arguments.
+    def first!
+      first or raise RecordNotFound
     end
 
     # A convenience wrapper for <tt>find(:last, *args)</tt>. You can pass in all the
@@ -142,9 +143,10 @@ module ActiveRecord
       end
     end
 
-    # Same as #last! but raises RecordNotFound if no record is returned
-    def last!(*args)
-      self.last(*args) or raise RecordNotFound
+    # Same as +last+ but raises <tt>ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound</tt> if no record
+    # is found. Note that <tt>last!</tt> accepts no arguments.
+    def last!
+      last or raise RecordNotFound
     end
 
     # A convenience wrapper for <tt>find(:all, *args)</tt>. You can pass in all the