Question

So, I’ve already created my database, but now need to add a default value to a field in a table. I would like to know how to do this without having to drop half my tables and constraints.

I looked online and it said to use this:

ALTER TABLE TABLE_NAME
ALTER COLUMN ColumnName
SET DEFAULT 1234;

I tried using that, however, and I’m getting “Incorrect syntax near the keyword ‘SET’.” Am I missing something terribly obvious?

Oh, and I guess I should add that the column I’m trying to edit is a foreign key, if that changes anything.

Thanks in advance,
Ellie

Answer 1

-- ============================ 
-- Create default constraint
-- ============================ 

ALTER TABLE <schema_name, sysname, dbo>.<table_name, sysname, table_name>
   ADD CONSTRAINT df_<column_name, sysname, column_name>
   DEFAULT <default_expression, sysname, 0>
   FOR <column_name, sysname, column_name>
GO

If you need to add a foreign key

ALTER TABLE Products WITH CHECK 
ADD CONSTRAINT [FK_Prod_Man] FOREIGN KEY(ManufacturerID)
REFERENCES Manufacturers (ID);