Re: changing a column type

From: David Fitzjarrell <oratune_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2012 13:15:32 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <1338581732.75339.YahooMailNeo_at_web160904.mail.bf1.yahoo.com>



That depends upon the change; a change from char to varchar2 is allowed with the column populated but a change from a numeric to a character type is not.

David Fitzjarrell



From: "Zelli, Brian" <Brian.Zelli_at_RoswellPark.org> To: oracle-l <oracle-l_at_freelists.org> Sent: Friday, June 1, 2012 12:48 PM
Subject: RE: changing a column type

I thought you would not be able to change it with data in it but he told me he has in the past.  I wasn't so sure......

ciao,
Brian

-----Original Message-----

From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org [mailto:oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org] On Behalf Of Powell, Mark Sent: Friday, June 01, 2012 2:43 PM
To: oracle-l
Subject: RE: changing a column type

Observe:

MPOWEL01_at_UT1> create table marktest2 ( fld1 number, fld2 varchar2(30));

Table created.

MPOWEL01_at_UT1> insert into marktest2 values (1,'something or other');

1 row created.

MPOWEL01_at_UT1> commit;

Commit complete.

MPOWEL01_at_UT1> alter table marktest2 modify (fld1 varchar2(10)); alter table marktest2 modify (fld1 varchar2(10))                               *
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-01439: column to be modified must be empty to change datatype

MPOWEL01_at_UT1>

-----Original Message-----

From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org [mailto:oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org] On Behalf Of Zelli, Brian Sent: Friday, June 01, 2012 1:51 PM
To: oracle-l
Subject: changing a column type

A colleague wants to change a column type from numeric to alpha-numeric.  Can he change it with data in it?

ciao,
Brian

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Received on Fri Jun 01 2012 - 15:15:32 CDT

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