SchemaPlus::DefaultExpr

SchemaPlus::DefaultExpr extends ActiveRecord's migrations to allow you to set the default value of a column to an SQL expression.

This gem works with PostgreSQL and Sqlite3, but not MySQL; see Compatibilitybelow.

SchemaPlus::DefaultExpr is part of the SchemaPlus family of Ruby on Rails ActiveRecord extension gems.

Installation

As usual:

gem "schema_plus_default_expr"                # in a Gemfile
gem.add_dependency "schema_plus_default_expr" # in a .gemspec

Compatibility

SchemaPlus::DefaultExpr is tested on:

• ruby 2.5 with activerecord 5.2, using sqlite3 and postgresql:9.6
• ruby 2.5 with activerecord 6.0, using sqlite3 and postgresql:9.6
• ruby 2.5 with activerecord 6.1, using sqlite3 and postgresql:9.6
• ruby 2.7 with activerecord 5.2, using sqlite3 and postgresql:9.6
• ruby 2.7 with activerecord 6.0, using sqlite3 and postgresql:9.6
• ruby 2.7 with activerecord 6.1, using sqlite3 and postgresql:9.6
• ruby 2.7 with activerecord 7.0, using sqlite3 and postgresql:9.6
• ruby 3.0 with activerecord 6.0, using sqlite3 and postgresql:9.6
• ruby 3.0 with activerecord 6.1, using sqlite3 and postgresql:9.6
• ruby 3.0 with activerecord 7.0, using sqlite3 and postgresql:9.6
• ruby 3.1 with activerecord 6.0, using sqlite3 and postgresql:9.6
• ruby 3.1 with activerecord 6.1, using sqlite3 and postgresql:9.6
• ruby 3.1 with activerecord 7.0, using sqlite3 and postgresql:9.6

MySQL only supports SQL expression defaults for TIMESTAMP column types, which ActiveRecord does not use. So SchemaPlus::DefaultExpr does not work with MySQL.

Usage

SchemaPlus::DefaultExpr augments the syntax for setting column defaults, to support expressions or constant values:

t.datetime :seen_at, default: { expr: 'NOW()' }
t.datetime :seen_at, default: { value: "2011-12-11 00:00:00" }

The standard syntax will still work as usual:

t.datetime :seen_at, default: "2011-12-11 00:00:00"

Also, as a convenience

t.datetime :seen_at, default: :now

resolves to:

NOW()                 # PostgreSQL
(DATETIME('now'))     # SQLite3
invalid               # MySQL

Note on PostgreSQL & json:

If you are using Postgresql with a json column, ActiveRecord allows you to use a Hash for a default value. Be aware that if the hash contains just one key which is :expr or :value, then SchemaPlus::DefaultExpr will interpret, and use the corresponding value for the default. That is, these are equivalent:

t.json :fields, default: { value: { field1: 'a', field2: 'b' } }
t.json :fields, default: { field1: 'a', field2: 'b' }

History

• 1.0.1 - Add AR 6.1, 7.0 and Ruby 3.1
• 1.0.0 - Add AR 6.0, Ruby 3.0 and dropped AR < 5.2 and Ruby < 5.2
• 0.1.5 - Compatibility with AR 5.2.
• 0.1.4 - Compatibility with AR 5. Thanks to @pedantic-git
• 0.1.3 - Missing require
• 0.1.2 - Explicit gem dependencies
• 0.1.1 - Fix dumping bug (#1); upgrade to schema_plus_core 1.0
• 0.1.0 - Initial release, extracted from schema_plus 1.x

Development & Testing

Are you interested in contributing to SchemaPlus::DefaultExpr? Thanks! Please follow the standard protocol: fork, feature branch, develop, push, and issue pull request.

Some things to know about to help you develop and test:

• schema_dev: SchemaPlus::DefaultExpr uses schema_dev to facilitate running rspec tests on the matrix of ruby, activerecord, and database versions that the gem supports, both locally and on github actions

  To to run rspec locally on the full matrix, do:

    $ schema_dev bundle install
    $ schema_dev rspec
  

  You can also run on just one configuration at a time; For info, see schema_dev --help or the schema_dev README.

  The matrix of configurations is specified in schema_dev.yml in the project root.

• schema_plus_core: SchemaPlus::DefaultExpr uses the SchemaPlus::Core API that provides middleware callback stacks to make it easy to extend ActiveRecord's behavior. If that API is missing something you need for your contribution, please head over to schema_plus_core and open an issue or pull request.

• schema_monkey: SchemaPlus::DefaultExpr is implemented as a schema_monkey client, using schema_monkey's convention-based protocols for extending ActiveRecord and using middleware stacks.