I created my table as BE Electrical. Later changed it's name to Be Electrical First. Now I can't
access What went wrong?
the table.
It is because of renaming your table has rendered its metadata useless
Use this for renaming
exec sp_rename 'Be Electrical','Be Electrical First'
instead of
exec sp_rename '[Be Electrical]','[Be Electrical First]'
After that you can use the table as intended.
For the current table that you have renamed you have to use the select query like
SELECT * FROM [dbo].[[Be Electrical First]]]
Note: try to avoid spaces in naming conventions in SQL server.
I want to rename a table in SQL Server. I know the proper syntax would be:
sp_rename 'old table name','new table name';
Would it make any difference if I write it this way?:
EXEC sp_rename 'old table name','new table name';
I tried running it on SQL Server and without the EXEC, it would highlight my syntax sp_rename with red, but it doesn't throw any error.
Can anyone suggest the proper way or any other alternatives to rename a table?
Note: I know altering table name will affect or probably break the script and stored procedure, is there any way to prevent this? Or it only breaks if there is another table dependent on it?
You can execute a stored procedure with or without the EXEC Keyword. So Both your approaches are correct and has the same effect.
All the below 3 approaches are valid but the most commonly used is the 1st one
EXEC sp_rename 'old table name','new table name';
EXECUTE sp_rename 'old table name','new table name';
sp_rename 'old table name','new table name';
The easiest way would be to right click on the table name and click "rename". Both of your methods of using a proc are correct, though.
I would caution using this procedure though, especially in renaming stored procedures. It has been documented in many places that sp_rename fails to update the sys.procedures table which is often used to identify these objects within your database.
I recently used - EXEC sp_rename '<source table name>', '<destination table name>' to rename an existing table and want to execute the same on one of our live server. Is there any issue in using this procedure to rename a table?. I am asking this because one of our DBA says there will be problems in using this procedure on live server.
Is nothing referencing the table you're renaming? That would be the only instance where I would think renaming the table would not have an impact. If the table was not referenced by anything however, what would be the purpose of the table?
you can read more about sp_rename here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms188351.aspx
Specifically note the following:
Renaming an object such as a table or column will not automatically
rename references to that object. You must modify any objects that
reference the renamed object manually. For example, if you rename a
table column and that column is referenced in a trigger, you must
modify the trigger to reflect the new column name. Use
sys.sql_expression_dependencies to list dependencies on the object
before renaming it.
There is no major issue with renaming the table using that procedure. The only thing you need to remember is that while that command is being executed, the locks that are applied on that table won't allow you to query the data, but that should only take only a couple of milliseconds, so you should be fine.
P.S. Don't forget to modify your views, procedures, functions etc :)
Below is the only caution as described inthe microsoft official web site.
Changing any part of an object name can break scripts and stored procedures. We recommend you do not use this statement to rename stored procedures, triggers, user-defined functions, or views; instead, drop the object and re-create it with the new name.
More details at : http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms188351.aspx
EXEC sp_rename is recommended only when we sure that all the depended SP, View function are not get affected. Make sureyou changed or deleted the depended objects.
Perhaps your DBA can share the details of his/her concerns. Renaming a table will of course be a breaking change for any objects that reference the table so you'll need to perform due diligence to ensure dependent objects are changed to use the new name. The rename operation will also require a short schema modification lock and void existing referencing cached plans, so be aware of this if the table is heavily used.
I have a Sql Server 2008 database I inherited. A number of apps and SSIS packages work off that database. Not too long ago the scope of the database changed and a lot of new tables were added. As a result of this a lot of the table names (and even the database name itself) no longer make sense, resulting in a very confusing schema.
I could rename the tables straight away and change the apps and processes to use the new names but the chaos and downtime it would cause in the meantime would not be acceptable.
Is there a way I can add an alternate name for a table (like a permanent alias) that I could use to refer to either the new or old table name until all of my refactoring is complete?
Create a synonym first.
CREATE SYNONYM dbo.SensibleName FOR dbo.CrazyName;
Now find all the references to CrazyName in your codebase, and update them to reference SensibleName instead. Once you believe you have found them all, you can eventually run:
SET TRANSACTION ISOLATION LEVEL SERIALIZABLE;
BEGIN TRANSACTION;
DROP SYNONYM dbo.SensibleName;
EXEC sp_rename N'dbo.CrazyName', N'SensibleName', N'OBJECT';
COMMIT TRANSACTION;
If you need to make column names more sensible, you'll have to do so using a view, as synonyms only cover a subset of database-level objects.
Some other info here.
You can rename it with sp_rename and then add synonym:
CREATE SYNONYM OldTableName FOR NewTableName
I'm attempting to rename a stored procedure in SQL Server 2008 with sp_rename system sproc. The third parameter is giving me difficulty though and I keep receiving the following error:
Msg 15249, Level 11, State 1, Procedure sp_rename, Line 75
Error: Explicit #objtype 'P' is unrecognized.
As the message indicates I'm passing in a P for the value of the parameter. I call the sproc like this:
EXEC sp_rename #objName = #procName, #newname = #WrappedName, #objtype = 'P';
I double checked the documentation which says this is the value from sys.objects. I ran the following to double check I wasn't going crazy
select * from sys.objects where name = 'MySprocName'
and indeed the type returned is P.
Does anyone know what I should pass here? I don't want to leave this empty since I'm creating a generic sproc to among other things rename arbitrary sprocs and if there is a name collision between a sproc and something else I don't want to have to worry about that.
Just omit the #objtype parameter (the default is null) and it will work.
EXEC sp_rename 'sp_MyProc', 'sp_MyProcName'
You will receive the following warning, but the procedure will be renamed
Caution: Changing any part of an
object name could break scripts and
stored procedures.
Like others stated, you should drop and recreate the procedure.
According to the docs, 'P' is not a correct option. You should try 'OBJECT' as that seems like the closest thing to what you're trying to do. But, you should heed this warning ...
Changing any part of an object name
can break scripts and stored
procedures. We recommend you do not
use this statement to rename stored
procedures, triggers, user-defined
functions, or views; instead, drop the
object and re-create it with the new
name.
Also (from the same MSDN page):
Renaming a stored procedure, function, view, or trigger will not
change the name of the corresponding object name in the definition
column of the sys.sql_modules catalog view. Therefore, we recommend
that sp_rename not be used to rename these object types. Instead, drop
and re-create the object with its new name.
sp_rename does not support procedures:
Changes the name of a user-created
object in the current database. This
object can be a table, index, column,
alias data type, or Microsoft .NET
Framework common language runtime
(CLR) user-defined type.
Just create the new procedure with the same body and new name, then drop the old one.
I'm not sure about the #objtype variable, however I do know that renaming via sp_rename is bad.
When you create a stored proc, a record for it exists in sys.objects and the definition of the stored proc will be stored in sys.sql_modules.
Using sp_rename will only change the name in sys.objects, not in sys.sql_modules thus your definition will be incorrect.
The best solution is a drop & recreate
The third parameter(#objtype) is required when you want to rename a
database object other than a stored procedure. Otherwise it is
necessary to pass a third parameter. For example renaming a column
using sp_rename will look something like this.
USE AdventureWorks2012;
GO
EXEC sp_rename 'Sales.SalesTerritory.TerritoryID', 'TerrID', 'COLUMN';
GO
To rename a user-defined stored procedure using sp_rename,you can do something like this and it literally works
However it is not recommended by Microsoft, DB experts (and others here as well) to use this stored procedure as it will break things internally and might possibly incur unusual results later.Therefore it is bad. Here's what Microsoft has to say:
Renaming a stored procedure, function, view, or trigger will not change the name of the corresponding object either in the definition column of the sys.sql_modules catalog view or obtained using the OBJECT_DEFINITION built-in function. Therefore, we recommend that sp_rename not be used to rename these object types. Instead, drop and re-create the object with its new name.
Renaming an object such as a table or column will not automatically rename references to that object. You must modify any objects that reference the renamed object manually. For example, if you rename a table column and that column is referenced in a trigger, you must modify the trigger to reflect the new column name. Use sys.sql_expression_dependencies to list dependencies on the object before renaming it.
You can read about it here: sp_rename (Transact-SQL)
There are two approaches to rename stored procedure.
Dropping and Recreating Procedure : The problem is it will lead to losing of permissions.
sp_rename of Procedure : Permissions will remain intact. The stored procedure will be renamed. But, sys.sql_modules will still be having the old definition.
I prefer the second approach. I followed the below steps:
Have copy of the stored Procedure content
Rename the stored procedure
EXEC sp_rename 'dbo.OldStoredProcedureName','NewStoredProcedureName'
GO
ALTER PROCEDURE to have the modified code of the procedure in the sys.sql_modules
ALTER PROCEDURE dbo.NewStoredProcedureName
...
Now, Stored procedure name is also updated and code is refreshed in sys.sql_modules and permissions are also intact.
In SQL 2000 days, it was safer to DROP/CREATE-- SQL used to let the meta data for the proc get out of synch when you use sp_rename.
The best way to find out how to do fancy DDL like that is to use SSMS to rename the object while a profiler trace is attached.
All that Valentino Vranken said is true. However bear in mind that when you drop and create a stored procedure, you lose all of your metadata. (Create_Date, Modify_Date etc.)
Renaming a stored procedure, function, view, or trigger will not change the name of the corresponding object name in the definition column of the sys.sql_modules catalog view. Therefore, we recommend that sp_rename not be used to rename these object types. Instead, drop and re-create the object with its new name.
This is also true. However I found that when you run the alter script after making the rename, it corrects the name in the definition in the modules.
I have wondered how the SSMS interface does all of this automagically without using T-SQL. (Perhaps it runs an alter script each time you rename an SP using the interface? I don't know.) It would be interesting is MS were to publish what is happening behind the scenes when you do a SSMS rename.
sp_rename only change the name of user created objects in database. Renaming a stored procedure will not change the name of the corresponding object name in the definition column of the sys.sql_modules catalog view.
Therefore, we recommend that you do not rename this object type. Instead, drop and re-create the stored procedure with its new name.
even you should not use it use to rename to change to change the name of view, function,or trigger.
If you will try to use, it will rename it, but you will also get some warning message something like this:
Changing any part of an object name can break scripts and stored procedures.
For more information you can visit.
http://onlyforcoder.blogspot.in/2017/11/sprename-where-to-use-where-not-to-use.html
http://blog.sqlauthority.com/2008/08/26/sql-server-how-to-rename-a-column-name-or-table-name/