title: MVC4 Entity Framework one paticular column not updating
body: <p>I am having an infuriating issue where one paticular column in my entity will not save/update.  I have tried numerous methods of updating the row such as manally assigning each property I want to update, to where I am now (see code block below).  2 columns update and save as expected (absent_type_id, and point_value) however no matter what I do the "description" column just will not save.</p>
  
  <p>I have checked the debugger to see what the value is before the db.SaveChanges(); and confirmed it is set to the new value; however, selecting the row after the save (and checking the database) shows that the others values are updated, but the description reverts back to what it was...why could this be?</p>
  
  <pre><code>[HttpPost]
      public JsonResult UpdateOccurrence(int occ_id,
                                         string absent_type, 
                                         string description, 
                                         int point_value)
      {
          try
          {
              // Get id for the absent type
              int absent_type_id = db.AT_absent_types.Single(a =&gt; a.absent_type == absent_type).absent_type_id;
  
              var occurrenceToUpdate = new AT_occurrences
              {
                  occ_id = occ_id,
                  absent_type_id = absent_type_id,
                  description = description,
                  point_value = point_value
              };
  
              db.AT_occurrences.Attach(occurrenceToUpdate);
  
              db.SaveChanges();
  
              //return call omitted
          }
          catch (Exception ex)
          {
              return Json(new {Result = "ERROR", Message = ex.Message});
          }
      }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>As I mentioned - posting the point_value and absent_type save and update the entity perfectly, the description just will not save! i have no idea why.  Any help or insight would be very much appreciated - this is driving me crazy!  Cheers!</p>