RE: syntax error with alter type - Mailing list pgsql-general

From Kevin Brannen
Subject RE: syntax error with alter type
Date
Msg-id SN1PR19MB025577985E4F8D2D64B3155CA4AB0@SN1PR19MB0255.namprd19.prod.outlook.com
Whole thread Raw
In response to Re: syntax error with alter type  (Adrian Klaver <adrian.klaver@aklaver.com>)
Responses Re: syntax error with alter type  (Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>)
List pgsql-general
On 12/7/18 3:17 PM, Kevin Brannen wrote:
> I'm running Pg 9.6.5 if it matters...
>
> I'm trying to drop a value from an ENUM (type) and it seems like I'm
> following the fine manual yet I still get an error. For example:
>
> nms=# create type alphabet as enum ('a', 'b', 'c', 'd');
>
> CREATE TYPE
>
> nms=# alter type alphabet drop attribute if exists 'c';
>
> ERROR:  42601: syntax error at or near "'c'"
>
> LINE 1: alter type alphabet drop attribute if exists 'c';
>
>                                                       ^
>
> LOCATION:  scanner_yyerror, scan.l:1086
>
> What am I doing wrong? The goal is to get rid of the 'c' value from
> the enum. Yes, you can assume I've already removed of all the 'c'
> values in the table where it's used.

https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/datatype-enum.html

"Although enum types are primarily intended for static sets of values, there is support for adding new values to an
existingenum type, and for renaming values (see ALTER TYPE). Existing values cannot be removed from an enum type, nor
canthe sort ordering of such values be changed, short of dropping and re-creating the enum type. 


>
> Or does that statement not do what I think it does and I have to do
> the "create new type, change the table to use the new type, drop old
> type, rename new type to old type" routine?

Adrian,

Thanks, I hadn't seen that "existing values cannot be removed from an enum type" since I was looking on the ALTER TYPE
page.

So, can you (or anyone) help me understand what "alter type <type> drop attribute" is meant to do? I don't see
"attribute"on the page you reference. 

Thanks,
Kevin
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