the original migration looks like this:

class CreateUsers  true do |t|
        t.string :login, :limit => 40
        t.string :name, :limit => 100, :default => '', :null => true
        t.string :email, :limit => 100
        t.string :crypted_password, :limit => 40
        t.string :salt, :limit => 40
        t.string :remember_token, :limit => 40
        t.datetime :remember_token_expires_at
        t.string :activation_code, :limit => 40
        t.datetime :activated_at, :datetime
        t.string :state, :null => :no, :default => 'passive'
        t.datetime :deleted_at
        t.integer :occupation_id, :null => :yes
        t.datetime :paid_up_to_date, :date
        t.timestamps
      end

and I am trying to change the default of "state" to be "active" instead of passive so my attempt at a migration looks like this: ( still learning.. be gentle )

class ChangeUserStateDefault < ActiveRecord::Migration def self.up change_column :users, :state, :null => :no, :default => 'active' end def self.down end end