diff --git a/doc/FAQ b/doc/FAQ index eb767689e1de6ccd69b9c4132ebfbdbf87eb9018..1cbbd35a68a9cf947d82003a060717830169f3d1 100644 --- a/doc/FAQ +++ b/doc/FAQ @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for PostgreSQL - Last updated: Sun Jan 16 21:40:18 EST 2005 + Last updated: Sun Jan 16 22:01:06 EST 2005 Current maintainer: Bruce Momjian (pgman@candle.pha.pa.us) @@ -690,7 +690,10 @@ log_* ALTER TABLE new_table RENAME TO old_table; COMMIT; - To change the data type of a column, do this: + Changing the data type of a column can be done easily in 8.0 and later + with ALTER TABLE ALTER COLUMN TYPE. + + In earlier releases, do this: BEGIN; ALTER TABLE tab ADD COLUMN new_col new_data_type; UPDATE tab SET new_col = CAST(old_col AS new_data_type); diff --git a/doc/src/FAQ/FAQ.html b/doc/src/FAQ/FAQ.html index b69e3c66cccd48664bfc4bb0c96940a9e025f2c2..3117b90e6bda02e5f19f1334898d5b39d175fa06 100644 --- a/doc/src/FAQ/FAQ.html +++ b/doc/src/FAQ/FAQ.html @@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ alink="#0000ff"> <H1>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for PostgreSQL</H1> - <P>Last updated: Sun Jan 16 21:40:18 EST 2005</P> + <P>Last updated: Sun Jan 16 22:01:06 EST 2005</P> <P>Current maintainer: Bruce Momjian (<A href= "mailto:pgman@candle.pha.pa.us">pgman@candle.pha.pa.us</A>)<BR> @@ -854,8 +854,8 @@ <H4><A name="4.4">4.4</A>) How do you remove a column from a table, or change its data type?</H4> - <P><SMALL>DROP COLUMN</SMALL> functionality was added in release 7.3 with - <SMALL>ALTER TABLE DROP COLUMN</SMALL>. In earlier versions, + <P><SMALL>DROP COLUMN</SMALL> functionality was added in release 7.3 + with <SMALL>ALTER TABLE DROP COLUMN</SMALL>. In earlier versions, you can do this:</P> <PRE> BEGIN; @@ -868,7 +868,10 @@ COMMIT; </PRE> - <P>To change the data type of a column, do this:</P> + <P>Changing the data type of a column can be done easily in 8.0 + and later with <SMALL>ALTER TABLE ALTER COLUMN TYPE</SMALL>. + + <P>In earlier releases, do this:</P> <PRE> BEGIN; ALTER TABLE tab ADD COLUMN new_col <i>new_data_type</i>;