# Bug regarding ActiveRecord and TimeWithZone **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [January 23, 2009, 1:22pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/bug-regarding-activerecord-and-timewithzone/158449 "2009-01-23T13:22:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tuktuk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@tuktuk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/tuktuk)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 1:22pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/bug-regarding-activerecord-and-timewithzone/158449/1 "2009-01-23T13:22:26Z")
I’ve discovered a strange behavior regarding ActiveRecord and TimeWithZone I’ve seen the error when using SQL Server, I have not yet tried with any other database. Here’s output from the console - “User” is a simple model made with a migration. * * * > > d1 = User.find(:first).created\_at > > =\> Thu, 21 Jun 2001 19:11:57 CEST +02:00 > > > d2 = Time.zone.now > > =\> Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:02:00 CET +01:00 > > > d1.class > > =\> ActiveSupport::TimeWithZone > > > d2.class > > =\> ActiveSupport::TimeWithZone > > > d2 - d1 > > =\> Thu Aug 04 17:50:03 UTC 1977 > > > d1 - d2 > > TypeError: expected numeric or date > > from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/date.rb:1252:in `minus_without_duration' from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.2.2/lib/active_support/core_ext/date/calculations.rb:88:in`-’ > > from > > /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.2.2/lib/active\_support/time\_with\_zone.rb:201:in > > `-’ > > from (irb):11 * * * The strange thing is, that “d1” (the ActiveRecord attribute) reports itself as a TimeWithZone class, but it isn’t. If I do this instead > > d1 = Time.zone.now > > d2 = Time.zone.now > > d1 - d2 I get no errors. So what exactly is happening in ActiveRecord? Is it a problem in the adapter? - Carsten ---
**Author:** ![tuktuk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@tuktuk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/tuktuk)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 8:53am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/bug-regarding-activerecord-and-timewithzone/158449/2 "2009-01-26T08:53:26Z")
I will allow myself to bump this question just once, since I think it is important - it really seems like a bug, but I would like to know, if anyone else has experienced this before submitting to the bug list. - Carsten Carsten G. wrote: > I’ve discovered a strange behavior regarding ActiveRecord and > TimeWithZone > > * * * > > > > d1 = User.find(:first).created\_at > > > =\> Thu, 21 Jun 2001 19:11:57 CEST +02:00 > > > > > d2 = Time.zone.now > > > =\> Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:02:00 CET +01:00 > > > > > d1.class > > > =\> ActiveSupport::TimeWithZone > > > > > d2.class > > > =\> ActiveSupport::TimeWithZone > > > > > d2 - d1 > > > =\> Thu Aug 04 17:50:03 UTC 1977 > > > > > d1 - d2 > > > TypeError: expected numeric or date > > > from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/date.rb:1252:in `minus_without_duration' from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.2.2/lib/active_support/core_ext/date/calculations.rb:88:in`-’ > > > from > > > /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.2.2/lib/active\_support/time\_with\_zone.rb:201:in > > > `-’ > > > from (irb):11 > > * * * ---
**Author:** ![tuktuk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@tuktuk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/tuktuk)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 9:16am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/bug-regarding-activerecord-and-timewithzone/158449/3 "2009-01-26T09:16:34Z")
On Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 9:53 AM, Carsten G. \< removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid\> wrote: > > ## =\> Thu Aug 04 17:50:03 UTC 1977 `-’ from (irb):11 > > – > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/). > > > Carsten I don’t get that error using Edge Rails > > d1 = u.created\_at > > =\> Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:06:44 UTC +00:00 > > d2 = Time.zone.now > > =\> Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:14:33 UTC +00:00 > > d1.class > > =\> ActiveSupport::TimeWithZone > > d2.class > > =\> ActiveSupport::TimeWithZone > > d2 - d1 > > =\> 1994869.32909489 > > d1 - d2 > > =\> -1994869.32909489 – Andrew T. [http://ramblingsonrails.com](http://ramblingsonrails.com) [http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewtimberlake](http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewtimberlake) “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education” - Mark Twain ---
**Author:** ![tuktuk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@tuktuk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/tuktuk)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 11:29am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/bug-regarding-activerecord-and-timewithzone/158449/4 "2009-01-26T11:29:58Z")
Andrew T. wrote: > I don’t get that error using Edge Rails Whoops - should have tried that first… Sorry 🙂 And thanks. - Carsten