Question

syntax for adding default value to column

Asked by: Poppekop

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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Asked On
2003-09-02 at 05:39:30ID20726441
Tags

default

,

sql

,

column

,

value

Topic

MS SQL Server

Participating Experts
5
Points
500
Comments
12

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Answers

 

by: lauszPosted on 2003-09-02 at 05:52:18ID: 9266797

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!!!

 

by: PoppekopPosted on 2003-09-02 at 05:59:20ID: 9266851

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

doesn't work either

 

by: LowfatspreadPosted on 2003-09-02 at 06:00:12ID: 9266854

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

 

by: PoppekopPosted on 2003-09-02 at 06:00:40ID: 9266859

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

 

by: NightmanPosted on 2003-09-02 at 06:01:51ID: 9266867

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

 

by: PoppekopPosted on 2003-09-02 at 06:01:54ID: 9266868

Lowfatspread

incorrect syntax near DEFAULT

 

by: PoppekopPosted on 2003-09-02 at 06:07:19ID: 9266906

Nightman:

Puuuuurrfect :-)

thanks a lot!!

 

by: angelIIIPosted on 2003-09-02 at 06:32:44ID: 9267069

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

 

by: PoppekopPosted on 2003-09-02 at 06:35:13ID: 9267091

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

 

by: angelIIIPosted on 2003-09-02 at 06:38:42ID: 9267123

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

 

by: misulachePosted on 2004-11-26 at 06:54:52ID: 12681369

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

 

by: PoppekopPosted on 2004-11-26 at 13:41:14ID: 12683494

misulache:

I already accepted this answer because it worked fine

ALTER TABLE BOM  ADD CONSTRAINT
     DF_BOM_MFD   DEFAULT 0 FOR MFD

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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