ruby on rails - activerecord/pg: support automatic timestamps in DDL -

updated (to show code)

i'd mimic activerecord's automatic timestamps directly in database, without explicitly adding logic after every migration's create_table() call.

here's now:

class statusquo < my::migration::subclass   def self.up     create_table :tbl |t|       ... columns ...       t.timestamps     end     add_default_now(:tbl, :created_at)  # alter column ... default now()     add_default_now(:tbl, :updated_at)  # alter column ... default now()     add_updated_at_trigger(:tbl)        # before update on ... trg_updated_at()   end end 

by contrast, here's i'd do:

class druthers < my::migration::subclass   def self.up     create_table :tbl |t|       ... columns ...       t.timestamps     end   end end 

is there easy or recommended way accomplish this? using activerecord 3, postgresql 8.4.

here's best come far, full source here:

in config/environment.rb check see if our connection adapter postgresql. if so, require file following:

1. wrap columndefinition#to_sql force defaults

   force "created_at" , "updated_at" have default current_timestamp

2. wrap create_table conditionally apply trigger

   if newly created table has "updated_at" column, install trigger referencing database function assumed exist.

not pretty (need have maintain function definition outside of code) , not complete (change_table won't handle introducing timestamps properly), enough.