please please help

[Anon]

hey - i have a bit of a problem and am wondering what the sql (hopefully there IS sql for this ...) is to update a column in a table from varchar(500) to TEXT in the db setup. this is so important any help is appreciated. thanks.

[Anon]

try this:

alter table tablename
modify columnname text not null ... etc.

[Anon]

Hi Steve;
May this help you!!!!!!!!

ALTER TABLE tableName CHANGE ColumnName ColumnName TEXT NOT NULL;

Cheers;
Solomon

[Anon]

alter table, look up your databases syntax.

More importantly, BACKUP your database / table before applying such a command. This is generally not a reversable operation, and if the database loses all your data doing it, you're not gonna be happy.

Generally speaking, things like alter table, that actually change the type of a column, are dangerous and unpredictable from one dbms to another, and may scram your dataset on you.

Also, when asking questions about 'SQL' it's a good idea to let the folks here know which engine you're running, as oracle, mysql, and postgresql and all the other databases are all quite different from each other in these kinds of commands.

[Anon]

i am using postgresql - how does one go abouts backing up a databse ???

[[deleted]]

One begins by reading the manual. There's a sh*tload of information right there in the manual pages, all you have to do is read it.

[Anon]

what vincent said, plus, look for pg_dump and pg_dumpall

[Anon]

yeah but its so much easier to ask 🙂 hahahaha but reading is better cause you actually learn it that way and dont have to ask again 🙂 haha