Is there a reason / advantage to creating a new table versus just adding
a new column, populating it, dropping the original column and then
renaming the new column to the original column name? I have read
somewhere else about using the "Create table" option as well.

Thanks!

Brad



-----Original Message-----
From: Gombosi Andras
[mailto:oracledba-ezmlmshield-x25029474.[Email address protected]
Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 9:41 AM
To: LazyDBA Discussion
Subject: RE: Change column data type from varchar2 to number

Create table table_new as
(
Select to_char(number_field, the format switches you want )
From table_old
)

-- check the new table, and if you are satisfied

Drop table_old

Create table table_old as (select * from table_new)

Drop table_new

_______________________________________________________
Andras Gombosi
Software Engineer
Andras.[Email address protected]
Irish Life Investment Managers, Loc. B42
Beresford Court,Beresford Place,D1
353-1-7042836

-----Original Message-----
From: Losito Bradley - Salt Lake City UT
[mailto:oracledba-ezmlmshield-x10107787.[Email address protected]
Sent: 24 April 2008 16:37
To: LazyDBA Discussion
Subject: RE: Change column data type from varchar2 to number


Oops . . . I want to change from number to varchar2. There are no
indexes or constraints dependent on the column.

Brad

********************************************

-----Original Message-----
From: Losito Bradley - Salt Lake City UT
[mailto:oracledba-ezmlmshield-x6657100.[Email address protected]
Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 9:25 AM
To: LazyDBA Discussion
Subject: Change column data type from varchar2 to number

What's the best way to change the column data type from varchar2 to
number? I am contemplating two options:

1) ALTER TABLE . . .

2) Create a new column, populate the new column from the old column,
and then drop the old column.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Brad



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