MySQL Tutorial/Table/Drop Column
DROP-ing Columns and Tables
If we want to delete a structural element of the database (a column or table) we have to use the DROP command.
DROP <element> <name>
To delete a column from a table: ALTER TABLE tablename DROP columnname
mysql>
mysql>
mysql>
mysql> CREATE TABLE Employee(
-> id int,
-> first_name VARCHAR(15),
-> last_name VARCHAR(15),
-> start_date DATE,
-> end_date DATE,
-> salary FLOAT(8,2),
-> city VARCHAR(10),
-> description VARCHAR(15)
-> );
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.03 sec)
mysql>
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values (1,"Jason", "Martin", "19960725", "20060725", 1234.56, "Toronto", "Programmer");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values(2,"Alison", "Mathews", "19760321", "19860221", 6661.78, "Vancouver","Tester");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values(3,"James", "Smith", "19781212", "19900315", 6544.78, "Vancouver","Tester");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values(4,"Celia", "Rice", "19821024", "19990421", 2344.78, "Vancouver","Manager");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values(5,"Robert", "Black", "19840115", "19980808", 2334.78, "Vancouver","Tester");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values(6,"Linda", "Green", "19870730", "19960104", 4322.78,"New York", "Tester");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values(7,"David", "Larry", "19901231", "19980212", 7897.78,"New York", "Manager");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values(8,"James", "Cat", "19960917", "20020415", 1232.78,"Vancouver", "Tester");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> select * from Employee;
+------+------------+-----------+------------+------------+---------+-----------+-------------+
| id | first_name | last_name | start_date | end_date | salary | city | description |
+------+------------+-----------+------------+------------+---------+-----------+-------------+
| 1 | Jason | Martin | 1996-07-25 | 2006-07-25 | 1234.56 | Toronto | Programmer |
| 2 | Alison | Mathews | 1976-03-21 | 1986-02-21 | 6661.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
| 3 | James | Smith | 1978-12-12 | 1990-03-15 | 6544.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
| 4 | Celia | Rice | 1982-10-24 | 1999-04-21 | 2344.78 | Vancouver | Manager |
| 5 | Robert | Black | 1984-01-15 | 1998-08-08 | 2334.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
| 6 | Linda | Green | 1987-07-30 | 1996-01-04 | 4322.78 | New York | Tester |
| 7 | David | Larry | 1990-12-31 | 1998-02-12 | 7897.78 | New York | Manager |
| 8 | James | Cat | 1996-09-17 | 2002-04-15 | 1232.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
+------+------------+-----------+------------+------------+---------+-----------+-------------+
8 rows in set (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql>
mysql>
mysql>
mysql>
mysql> ALTER TABLE employee DROP Last_Name;
Query OK, 8 rows affected (0.03 sec)
Records: 8 Duplicates: 0 Warnings: 0
mysql>
mysql> desc employee;
+-------------+-------------+------+-----+---------+-------+
| Field | Type | Null | Key | Default | Extra |
+-------------+-------------+------+-----+---------+-------+
| id | int(11) | YES | | NULL | |
| first_name | varchar(15) | YES | | NULL | |
| start_date | date | YES | | NULL | |
| end_date | date | YES | | NULL | |
| salary | float(8,2) | YES | | NULL | |
| city | varchar(10) | YES | | NULL | |
| description | varchar(15) | YES | | NULL | |
+-------------+-------------+------+-----+---------+-------+
7 rows in set (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> select * from Employee;
+------+------------+------------+------------+---------+-----------+-------------+
| id | first_name | start_date | end_date | salary | city | description |
+------+------------+------------+------------+---------+-----------+-------------+
| 1 | Jason | 1996-07-25 | 2006-07-25 | 1234.56 | Toronto | Programmer |
| 2 | Alison | 1976-03-21 | 1986-02-21 | 6661.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
| 3 | James | 1978-12-12 | 1990-03-15 | 6544.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
| 4 | Celia | 1982-10-24 | 1999-04-21 | 2344.78 | Vancouver | Manager |
| 5 | Robert | 1984-01-15 | 1998-08-08 | 2334.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
| 6 | Linda | 1987-07-30 | 1996-01-04 | 4322.78 | New York | Tester |
| 7 | David | 1990-12-31 | 1998-02-12 | 7897.78 | New York | Manager |
| 8 | James | 1996-09-17 | 2002-04-15 | 1232.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
+------+------------+------------+------------+---------+-----------+-------------+
8 rows in set (0.02 sec)
mysql>
mysql> drop table Employee;
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
To drop a table column
mysql>
mysql>
mysql> CREATE TABLE Employee(
-> id int,
-> first_name VARCHAR(15),
-> last_name VARCHAR(15),
-> start_date DATE,
-> end_date DATE,
-> salary FLOAT(8,2),
-> city VARCHAR(10),
-> description VARCHAR(15)
-> );
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.06 sec)
mysql>
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values (1,"Jason", "Martin", "19960725", "20060725", 1234.56, "Toronto", "Programmer");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values(2,"Alison", "Mathews", "19760321", "19860221", 6661.78, "Vancouver","Tester");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values(3,"James", "Smith", "19781212", "19900315", 6544.78, "Vancouver","Tester");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.02 sec)
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values(4,"Celia", "Rice", "19821024", "19990421", 2344.78, "Vancouver","Manager");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values(5,"Robert", "Black", "19840115", "19980808", 2334.78, "Vancouver","Tester");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values(6,"Linda", "Green", "19870730", "19960104", 4322.78,"New York", "Tester");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values(7,"David", "Larry", "19901231", "19980212", 7897.78,"New York", "Manager");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> insert into Employee(id,first_name, last_name, start_date, end_Date, salary, City, Description)
-> values(8,"James", "Cat", "19960917", "20020415", 1232.78,"Vancouver", "Tester");
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> select * from Employee;
+------+------------+-----------+------------+------------+---------+-----------+-------------+
| id | first_name | last_name | start_date | end_date | salary | city | description |
+------+------------+-----------+------------+------------+---------+-----------+-------------+
| 1 | Jason | Martin | 1996-07-25 | 2006-07-25 | 1234.56 | Toronto | Programmer |
| 2 | Alison | Mathews | 1976-03-21 | 1986-02-21 | 6661.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
| 3 | James | Smith | 1978-12-12 | 1990-03-15 | 6544.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
| 4 | Celia | Rice | 1982-10-24 | 1999-04-21 | 2344.78 | Vancouver | Manager |
| 5 | Robert | Black | 1984-01-15 | 1998-08-08 | 2334.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
| 6 | Linda | Green | 1987-07-30 | 1996-01-04 | 4322.78 | New York | Tester |
| 7 | David | Larry | 1990-12-31 | 1998-02-12 | 7897.78 | New York | Manager |
| 8 | James | Cat | 1996-09-17 | 2002-04-15 | 1232.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
+------+------------+-----------+------------+------------+---------+-----------+-------------+
8 rows in set (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql>
mysql> Describe employee;
+-------------+-------------+------+-----+---------+-------+
| Field | Type | Null | Key | Default | Extra |
+-------------+-------------+------+-----+---------+-------+
| id | int(11) | YES | | NULL | |
| first_name | varchar(15) | YES | | NULL | |
| last_name | varchar(15) | YES | | NULL | |
| start_date | date | YES | | NULL | |
| end_date | date | YES | | NULL | |
| salary | float(8,2) | YES | | NULL | |
| city | varchar(10) | YES | | NULL | |
| description | varchar(15) | YES | | NULL | |
+-------------+-------------+------+-----+---------+-------+
8 rows in set (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> ALTER TABLE employee
-> DROP start_date;
Query OK, 8 rows affected (0.03 sec)
Records: 8 Duplicates: 0 Warnings: 0
mysql>
mysql> Describe employee;
+-------------+-------------+------+-----+---------+-------+
| Field | Type | Null | Key | Default | Extra |
+-------------+-------------+------+-----+---------+-------+
| id | int(11) | YES | | NULL | |
| first_name | varchar(15) | YES | | NULL | |
| last_name | varchar(15) | YES | | NULL | |
| end_date | date | YES | | NULL | |
| salary | float(8,2) | YES | | NULL | |
| city | varchar(10) | YES | | NULL | |
| description | varchar(15) | YES | | NULL | |
+-------------+-------------+------+-----+---------+-------+
7 rows in set (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> SELECT *
-> FROM employee;
+------+------------+-----------+------------+---------+-----------+-------------+
| id | first_name | last_name | end_date | salary | city | description |
+------+------------+-----------+------------+---------+-----------+-------------+
| 1 | Jason | Martin | 2006-07-25 | 1234.56 | Toronto | Programmer |
| 2 | Alison | Mathews | 1986-02-21 | 6661.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
| 3 | James | Smith | 1990-03-15 | 6544.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
| 4 | Celia | Rice | 1999-04-21 | 2344.78 | Vancouver | Manager |
| 5 | Robert | Black | 1998-08-08 | 2334.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
| 6 | Linda | Green | 1996-01-04 | 4322.78 | New York | Tester |
| 7 | David | Larry | 1998-02-12 | 7897.78 | New York | Manager |
| 8 | James | Cat | 2002-04-15 | 1232.78 | Vancouver | Tester |
+------+------------+-----------+------------+---------+-----------+-------------+
8 rows in set (0.00 sec)
mysql>
mysql> drop table Employee;
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)
mysql>