# Add a column "on the fly" **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [December 8, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/add-a-column-on-the-fly/155153 "2008-12-08T19:33:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![heldopslippers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/b9bd4f/32.png) [@heldopslippers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/heldopslippers)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/add-a-column-on-the-fly/155153/1 "2008-12-08T19:33:00Z")
Hi people, Does anybody know if it is possible to create columns on the fly… so wihout a migration. I would like to do this so that my customers can create multiple languages whitout me generating that language for them. ohw an second question: could I then check if a particularly column exists ? in a table of course 😛 thanxs! ---
**Author:** ![heldopslippers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/b9bd4f/32.png) [@heldopslippers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/heldopslippers)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 10:17pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/add-a-column-on-the-fly/155153/2 "2008-12-08T22:17:28Z")
On 8 Dec 2008, at 18:33, jeljer te Wies wrote: > exists ? in a table of course 😛 Well you can of course execute arbitrary sql (ActiveRecord::Base.connection.execute), which could add a column (you will run into the slight issue that you will need to get all of your mongrels/mod\_rails instances etc… to call SomeTable.reset\_column\_information). This sounds like a horrifically bad idea though Fred ---
**Author:** ![heldopslippers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/b9bd4f/32.png) [@heldopslippers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/heldopslippers)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/add-a-column-on-the-fly/155153/3 "2008-12-08T22:28:37Z")
☹ If you put it like that yes !.. Such a shame ! Beceaus it would have been verry cool To add languages on the fly as a customer ☹ Ok wel then I will have to do something with my database design So that I would be possible… But it won’t be pritty either ☹ Thanxs allot though for the reply ! I really apreciate it Jeljer Frederick C. wrote: > On 8 Dec 2008, at 18:33, jeljer te Wies wrote: > > > exists ? in a table of course 😛 > > Well you can of course execute arbitrary sql > (ActiveRecord::Base.connection.execute), which could add a column (you > will run into the slight issue that you will need to get all of your > mongrels/mod\_rails instances etc… to call > SomeTable.reset\_column\_information). This sounds like a horrifically > bad idea though > > Fred ---
**Author:** ![heldopslippers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/b9bd4f/32.png) [@heldopslippers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/heldopslippers)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 10:37pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/add-a-column-on-the-fly/155153/4 "2008-12-08T22:37:27Z")
On 8 Dec 2008, at 21:28, jeljer te Wies wrote: > ☹ If you put it like that yes !.. > Such a shame ! Beceaus it would have been verry cool > To add languages on the fly as a customer ☹ I’ve absolutely no idea what you’re doing or trying to do, but I doubt that adding columns on the fly is the only way to accomplish what you want. Fred ---
**Author:** ![heldopslippers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/b9bd4f/32.png) [@heldopslippers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/heldopslippers)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/add-a-column-on-the-fly/155153/5 "2008-12-09T15:47:36Z")
Why can’t you make an additional model “language” and another model of “message”, then you only need: language.rb: has\_many =\> :messages message.rb: belongs\_to =\> :language Then you might have infinite number of languages with infinite number of messages ;))) Good luck! 🙂 On Dec 8, 10:36 pm, Frederick C. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) ---
**Author:** ![heldopslippers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/b9bd4f/32.png) [@heldopslippers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/heldopslippers)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 3:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/add-a-column-on-the-fly/155153/6 "2008-12-09T15:52:38Z")
Yes thanxs !.. I have thought of the same solution. I now have the following… : Languages: -id -name menus -id -title -languages id This is a much better solution !! … I really don’t know why haven’t thought of it sooner. Thanxs for al the replays guys!. gr jeljer PaweÅ‚ K wrote: > Why can’t you make an additional model “language” and another model of > “message”, then you only need: > > language.rb: has\_many =\> :messages > message.rb: belongs\_to =\> :language > > Then you might have infinite number of languages with infinite number > of messages ;))) > > Good luck! 🙂 > > On Dec 8, 10:36 pm, Frederick C. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)