not null constraint

        while reading through the ocp dba certification exam guide, i noticed a "tip" that one should not remove not null constraints by dropping the relevant constraint, but instead do so by altering the table definition so that the constrained column is redefined to be nullable, or "several anamolies can be found". does anyone know what these anamolies might be? i've got some tables on which i _have_ removed the not null constraints, rather than redefining them, and i'd like to know what to look out for (or if i should maybe try to alter the table definition so the column would be nullable even though the constraint is already done).

        (on a related note, is it possible (and if so, is it a good idea) to _create_ a not null constraint using the constraint clause syntax, rather than as part of an alter table statement? i prefer to name my constraints myself, since sys00012 isn't very informative to most people, myself included.)

• sweth.

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Sweth Chandramouli
IS Coordinator, The George Washington University <sweth_at_gwu.edu> / (202) 994 - 8521 (V) / (202) 994 - 0458 (F) <a href="http://astaroth.nit.gwu.edu/~sweth/disc.html">*</a> Received on Mon Apr 05 1999 - 11:31:13 CDT