# Diffing tables using acts\_as\_versioned **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [August 14, 2007, 6:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/diffing-tables-using-acts-as-versioned/112053 "2007-08-14T18:40:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rubylover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/8c91f0/32.png) [@rubylover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rubylover)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2007, 6:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/diffing-tables-using-acts-as-versioned/112053/1 "2007-08-14T18:40:37Z")
I’m looking for a solution to read and store the differences between two updates to a row in my DB. For example, if a user changes the number of hours they worked after submitting their timesheet, I want to be able to show a manager the change they made and then report that adjustment. > From looking at the docs, acts\_as\_versioned works for versioning a > model and then stepping through previous revisions, but there doesn’t > seem to be a way to compare the differences between two revisions. Am > I wrong in that assumption? If so, can someone point me to the docs I > should be looking at. If I’m not wrong, is there another plugin available or does anyone have any suggestions for how to go about implementing a versioning system in the way I’m looking for. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![rubylover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/8c91f0/32.png) [@rubylover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rubylover)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2007, 9:37pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/diffing-tables-using-acts-as-versioned/112053/2 "2007-08-14T21:37:00Z")
On 8/14/07, Justin W. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > seem to be a way to compare the differences between two revisions. Am > I wrong in that assumption? If so, can someone point me to the docs I > should be looking at. > > If I’m not wrong, is there another plugin available or does anyone > have any suggestions for how to go about implementing a versioning > system in the way I’m looking for. I’ve been using the riff plugin with Lighthouse. [http://tfletcher.com/svn/rails-plugins/riff/](http://tfletcher.com/svn/rails-plugins/riff/) It helps to store a serialized hash of the diffs in the version model too, otherwise you have to recalculate each time the view is rendered. – Rick O. [http://lighthouseapp.com](http://lighthouseapp.com) [http://weblog.techno-weenie.net](http://weblog.techno-weenie.net) [http://mephistoblog.com](http://mephistoblog.com) ---
**Author:** ![rubylover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/8c91f0/32.png) [@rubylover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rubylover)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/diffing-tables-using-acts-as-versioned/112053/3 "2007-08-16T02:46:43Z")
On Aug 14, 2:35 pm, “Rick O.” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > I’ve been using the riff plugin with Lighthouse. > > [http://tfletcher.com/svn/rails-plugins/riff/](http://tfletcher.com/svn/rails-plugins/riff/) > > It helps to store a serialized hash of the diffs in the version model > too, otherwise you have to recalculate each time the view is rendered. Awesome plugin suggestion, Rick. Thanks for pointing it out. - j ---
**Author:** ![rubylover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/8c91f0/32.png) [@rubylover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rubylover)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 2:54am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/diffing-tables-using-acts-as-versioned/112053/4 "2007-08-16T02:54:47Z")
Justin W. wrote: > I’m looking for a solution to read and store the differences between > two updates to a row in my DB. > **[acts\_as\_audited](https://opensoul.org/2006/07/21/acts_as_audited/)** > > NOTE: This article is out of date. Visit the project on Github or the mailing list for up-to-date information. Great for logs or versioning (which was recently added). Much more efficient than acts\_as\_versioned.