syntax for adding default value to column : default, sql, column, value

May 17, 2008 10:09am pdt

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09.02.2003 at 05:39AM PDT, ID: 20726441

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9.7

syntax for adding default value to column

Zone: MS SQL Server

Tags: default, sql, column, value

Can someone give me the syntax to add a default value to a column?

Somehow it doesn't want this

ALTER TABLE BOM ALTER COLUMN MFD DEFAULT 0 )

table is BOM, column is MFD (bit field) and the default value must get is 0

I have to loop through a hundred tables time 3 databases so I realy need the SQL to do this. Can't do it manually.

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Question Stats

Zone: Microsoft

Question Asked By: Poppekop

Solution Provided By: Nightman

Participating Experts: 5

Solution Grade: A

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09.02.2003 at 05:52AM PDT, ID: 9266797

Rank: Master

lausz:

May be you can create an stopred procedure an do this---

alter table adding a new field with your defaullt ,
then updating the old field by the new one
last, drop the old field...

an with the stored procedure you can use parameters (database, table, old field and new field )

Is only an idea!!!

09.02.2003 at 05:59AM PDT, ID: 9266851

Poppekop:

ALTER TABLE BOMFE ALTER COLUMN [MFD] [bit] NULL DEFAULT (0)

doesn't work either

09.02.2003 at 06:00AM PDT, ID: 9266854

Rank: Genius

Lowfatspread:

you need to respecify the column type (and everything you want to "keep" for the column)

so try

ALTER TABLE BOM ALTER COLUMN MFD bit not null DEFAULT 0

hth

09.02.2003 at 06:00AM PDT, ID: 9266859

Poppekop:

I have a loop in an Access program that connects to SQL but I cannot get the right syntax to set the default value

09.02.2003 at 06:01AM PDT, ID: 9266867

Rank: Genius

Nightman:

Use a constraint to alter table structure.

ALTER TABLE BOM ADD CONSTRAINT
DF_BOM_MFD DEFAULT 0 FOR MFD

Use a query to update (I assume you only what to update nulls)

Update BOM SET MFD =0 WHERE MFD IS NULL

Accepted Solution

09.02.2003 at 06:01AM PDT, ID: 9266868

Poppekop:

Lowfatspread

incorrect syntax near DEFAULT

09.02.2003 at 06:07AM PDT, ID: 9266906

Poppekop:

Nightman:

Puuuuurrfect :-)

thanks a lot!!

09.02.2003 at 06:32AM PDT, ID: 9267069

Rank: Genius

angelIII:

Actually, you cannot ALTER the DEFAULT value, only ADD a column with a DEFAULT value, or change the data type settings.

THis means that you need either of these workarounds:
1) redefine column
# add a new column (dummy name) with the correct default
# udate the table, copying the actual column to the new column
# drop the old column
# add the new column (old name) with the correct default
# update the table, copying the dummy column to the final column.
# drop the dummy column
Downside of this: If there are any indexes, foreign keys, views, triggers etc, they will either make that not work or need to be recompiled after this procedures in order to be consistent (you could run into "funny" situations if you don't)

2) redefine the table
similar as above, but you copy over the whole table to a new table
Downside of this: you need to know the whole table structure, and also need to recompile any triggers, procedures & views after this... even more disadvantage is that if you have large tables, this will take even much longer...

Sorry to say, but this is a "limitation" of SQL Server...
CHeers

09.02.2003 at 06:35AM PDT, ID: 9267091

Poppekop:

nightman's solution works fine AngelIII, so I guess you can put a default value in

09.02.2003 at 06:38AM PDT, ID: 9267123

Rank: Genius

angelIII:

Yes, indeed, I researched & posted after you graded the q...
CHeers

11.26.2004 at 06:54AM PST, ID: 12681369

misulache:

use <your_catalog>
-- drop the constraint
alter table test1 drop constraint DF_test1
-- change columnType
alter table test1 alter column col5 int not null
-- add constraint and default value
alter table test1 add constraint [df_test1] default (1) for col5

-- note: not all conversions are allowed; check SQL Server Books Online -> CAST and CONVERT
-- like: from datetime to int

11.26.2004 at 01:41PM PST, ID: 12683494

Poppekop:

misulache:

I already accepted this answer because it worked fine

ALTER TABLE BOM ADD CONSTRAINT
DF_BOM_MFD DEFAULT 0 FOR MFD

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