# Table naming conventions **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [October 27, 2006, 2:37am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/table-naming-conventions/73791 "2006-10-27T02:37:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SpatialDB\_Advisor](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@SpatialDB\_Advisor](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/SpatialDB_Advisor)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 2:37am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/table-naming-conventions/73791/1 "2006-10-27T02:37:20Z")
Folks, I am new to rails. I have tried Google searches, checked the tips and doco and can’t find the answer to a simple question. I have a table called “Activity” that I want to rename so I can use RubyOnRails but I don’t know whether the plural form should be “Activitys” or “Activities”. Can someone illuminate me on what to do? regards Simon ---
**Author:** ![SpatialDB\_Advisor](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@SpatialDB\_Advisor](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/SpatialDB_Advisor)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 2:47am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/table-naming-conventions/73791/2 "2006-10-27T02:47:21Z")
Hello Simon, > I am new to rails. I have tried Google searches, checked the tips and > doco and can’t find the answer to a simple question. > > I have a table called “Activity” that I want to rename so I can use > RubyOnRails but I don’t know whether the plural form should be > “Activitys” or “Activities”. $ script/console Loading development environment. > > “activity”.pluralize > > =\> “activities” so you can name your table ‘activities’ (downcased) Note that if the pluralization didn’t fit to you, you can change it with Inflector (see config/environment.rb explanations) – Jean-François. – Ã? la renverse. ---
**Author:** ![SpatialDB\_Advisor](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@SpatialDB\_Advisor](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/SpatialDB_Advisor)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 2:49am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/table-naming-conventions/73791/3 "2006-10-27T02:49:21Z")
On 10/26/06, SpatialDB Advisor [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > I am new to rails. I have tried Google searches, checked the tips and > doco and can’t find the answer to a simple question. > > I have a table called “Activity” that I want to rename so I can use > RubyOnRails but I don’t know whether the plural form should be > “Activitys” or “Activities”. Hey Simon! Check this out: jeremy@ks editors $ ./script/console Loading development environment. > > “activity”.pluralize > > =\> “activities” The Rails console is your new best friend. It’s just the Ruby interactive shell (irb) with your Rails app already all loaded up for you to play with interactively. You can even create classes dynamically and see the results: > > class Activity \< ActiveRecord::Base; end > > =\> nil > > Activity.table\_name > > =\> “activities” > > Activity.columns > > =\> [would have the columns here if I had an activities table] Can someone illuminate me on what to do? Take yourself out for a beer to celebrate your ./script/console discovery. Best, jeremy ---
**Author:** ![SpatialDB\_Advisor](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@SpatialDB\_Advisor](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/SpatialDB_Advisor)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 2:53am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/table-naming-conventions/73791/4 "2006-10-27T02:53:21Z")
On 10/27/06, SpatialDB Advisor [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Can someone illuminate me on what to do? The pluraliser in rails will use activities as the plural version of activity. There is some information on creating custom pluralisations here [http://blog.hasmanythrough.com/articles/2006/05/17/pluralizations](http://blog.hasmanythrough.com/articles/2006/05/17/pluralizations) Hope that helps ---
**Author:** ![SpatialDB\_Advisor](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@SpatialDB\_Advisor](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/SpatialDB_Advisor)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 6:55am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/table-naming-conventions/73791/5 "2006-10-27T06:55:04Z")
To all who replied so promptly: thank you! I see there are many RubyOnRails books out there. I am not a database beginner (I have been using Oracle for nearly 20 years) though I am a Ruby novice. I know enough about web development to make a real pro wince! I am at home in most data modelling tools (but a UML novice). So, anyone recommend a book or books that will get me up and running fast I would be appreciative. regards Simon ---
**Author:** ![SpatialDB\_Advisor](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@SpatialDB\_Advisor](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/SpatialDB_Advisor)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 10:44am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/table-naming-conventions/73791/6 "2006-11-07T10:44:42Z")
Thanks for the suggestions. Simon ---
**Author:** ![SpatialDB\_Advisor](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@SpatialDB\_Advisor](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/SpatialDB_Advisor)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/table-naming-conventions/73791/7 "2006-10-27T19:14:04Z")
Hey Simon, I would highly recommend, at a minimum, getting a copy of the PDF both ‘Programming Ruby’ and ‘Agile Web D. with Rails 2ed’ from [pragmaticprogrammer.com](http://pragmaticprogrammer.com). Good luck, -Conrad