# \[Migrations\] change\_column :string to :text what happens?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/migrations-change-column-string-to-text-what-happens/92127>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [April 16, 2007, 1:41pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/migrations-change-column-string-to-text-what-happens/92127 "2007-04-16T13:41:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mlemos](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@mlemos](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mlemos)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 1:41pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/migrations-change-column-string-to-text-what-happens/92127/1 "2007-04-16T13:41:08Z")

</div>

What will happen to my existing data when I use change\_column to change  
the type of a column from :string to :text?

Is it possible to define the SIZE parameter to the :text type? How?

I’m using MySQL 5.

[]s
