Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 07:40:28 -0400
From: James Olin Oden <joden@lee.k12.nc.us>
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: "Cary B. O'Brien" <cobrien@access.digex.net>
CC: fmorton@mail.base2inc.com, pgsql-interfaces@postgreSQL.org
Subject: Re: [INTERFACES] add/delete field utility?
References: <199809031744.NAA07093@access1.digex.net>
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Message-Id: <81Sep3.063049edt.35713@gateway.lee.k12.nc.us>


> > Is there a utility anywhere that can take an existing
> > database and add or delete fields/tables? I often
> > need to update databases on multiple machines
> > that need the same structure but have different data,
> > so dumping the data base, updating in a text editor
> > and reloading gets too tedious and the sizes of
> > all these are going to get too large eventually.
> >
>
> I'm not sure I understand the question, but can't you do this with
> psql?  You can add and delete tables, and add fields easily (alter table ...).
>
> Dropping a field (column, attribute, whatever) can be done by creating
> a temporary table via a select with the columns you want, dropping the
> old table, and renaming the temp table to what you want.
>

Also, he should be able to come with some script or program in any one of the
numerous languages out there to automate the processes so that he can perfect the
process once on his test database, and then just run one command on each of the
other workstations.

...james