The following might be what you want:
ALTER TABLE shipper ADD srl int8;
CREATE SEQUENCE shipper_srl_seq;
ALTER TABLE shipper ALTER COLUMN srl SET DEFAULT nextval(shipper_srl_seq);
UPDATE shipper SET srl=nextval('shipper_srl_seq');
hth,
- Stuart
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Eft, Aaron [mailto:Aaron.Eft@avnet.com]
> Sent: 26 August 2002 20:30
> To: 'pgsql-novice@postgresql.org'
> Subject: [NOVICE] Alter Table Serial
>
>
> Wondering if this is possible:
>
> I'm trying to add a column to an existing database. This
> column would be
> autoincrementing in the form of "bigserial". Now, since there
> are already
> 70,000 records in the database, I'd also like to have this
> assign a serial
> number to those too, but understand if this is not possible. So far,
> everything I've tried has come up with the message:
>
> NOTICE: ALTER TABLE will create implicit sequence
> 'shipper_serial_seq' for
> SERIAL column 'shipper.serial'
>
> NOTICE: ALTER TABLE / ADD UNIQUE will create implicit index
> 'shipper_serial_key' for table 'shipper'
>
> ERROR: Adding columns with defaults is not implemented.
>
> Add the column, then use ALTER TABLE SET DEFAULT.
>
>
> I'm still very new to this, so any help is greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks!
>
> --= Aaron Eft =--
> 60 S McKemy
> Chandler, AZ 85226
> (480) 961-6407
>
>
