Showing posts with label copy table. Show all posts
Showing posts with label copy table. Show all posts

Monday, October 31, 2011

Copy table into new temporary table and put data back in original table


Sometimes you need to modify a table, like add a new column when there are constrains in place and you may be asked to drop the table before you can modify it. One solution is to store data in a temporary table, make the change and place the data back.

This example works when you have an identity column (autoId)

--- (1)Create new table (TempTable1) and insert into this table using SELECT INSERT
SELECT *
INTO TempTable1
FROM Table1

--- (2)Modify the Table1 --> add columns etc

--- (3)Copy the data from TempTable1 to the original Table1
---    It is important to list all the fields but the autoId (if there is one)

INSERT INTO Table1 (col1,col2,....colN)
SELECT col1,col2,....,colN
FROM TempTable1