[development] Adding auto-increment to an existing table

[Steven Jones]

Hi Nancy,

The API documentation for db_change_field does let you know that
serial fields need special handling, in the description of the
optional $new_keys argument (incorrectly documented as the $keys_new
argument). It points to db_change_field for more documentation on why:
http://api.drupal.org/api/function/db_change_field
which has a code example for exactly what you are trying to do I think.

Good luck!

Regards
Steven Jones
ComputerMinds ltd - Perfect Drupal Websites

Phone : 024 7666 7277
Mobile : 07702 131 576
Twitter : darthsteven
http://www.computerminds.co.uk



On 25 September 2010 00:51, nan wich <nan_wich at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> Thanks, I'll look at your idea. As a very remote option, I don't think any
> of the data is critical yet, so I may be able to find a slow time and just
> uninstall the module and re-install it.
>
> And, no it doesn't need to run on Postgres, but I thought these new
> functions for 6.x were supposed to work with both.
>
>
> Nancy
>
> Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. -- Dr. Martin L. King,
> Jr.
>
> ________________________________
> From: Sascha Grossenbacher <saschagros at gmail.com>
> To: development at drupal.org
> Sent: Fri, September 24, 2010 4:29:24 PM
> Subject: Re: [development] Adding auto-increment to an existing table
>
> Hi
>
> On Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 10:02 PM, nan wich <nan_wich at bellsouth.net> wrote:
>> user warning: Incorrect table definition; there can be only one auto
>> column
>> and it must be defined as a key query: update_sql /* admin : update_sql */
>> ALTER TABLE client_activity ADD `id` INT auto_increment DEFAULT NULL in
>> C:\www\webapps\drupal6\includes\database.mysql-common.inc on line 298.
>
> Try using the $new_keys argument of db_change_field() to create the
> primary key at the same time. If that doesn't work either (possible if
> it does it in a separate query), then do not remove the primary key
> before making the field autoincrement.
>
> Also, if you need to do that and this code needs to run on PostgreSQL
> too, then you need to make it conditional and only remove/re-add the
> key for PostgreSQL.
>
> Sascha
>