ALTER COLUMN

[FengShui1998]

Hello,

I have a column called CREATED that currently has DateTime as its field value.

I just learned that I can have it default to the a date time by using the function getdate().

Here's what I have, but it keeps getting an error near DEFAULT when I try to validate the syntax.

Thanks for the help in advance.
fengshui


ALTER TABLE Applicants
ALTER Column Created datetime NOT NULL DEFAULT (getdate())

 

[SQLBill]

I believe the issue is when you add the default. If you add it when the column is being created, the syntax is:

ALTER Table Applicants
ADD Created datetime NOT NULL DEFAULT (getdate())

But when the column already exists, the syntax is different:

ALTER Table Applicants
ADD CONSTRAINT created_default
DEFAULT getdate() FOR Created

-SQLBill

The following is part of my signature block and is only intended to be informational.
Posting advice: FAQ481-4875

 

[FengShui1998]

Thanks but now I am getting the error "Column already has a DEFAULT bound to it. Could not create constraint.

 

[FengShui1998]

Never mind. I found my answer, DROP the constraint and then ALTER.


Thanks,