ALTER table option is not available

Does anyone know why the ALTER to option is not available on Query Analyzer, Enterprise Manager or MS SQL Server Management Studio?

On Query Analyzer and Enterprise Manager, this option is visible by right clicking on the table, selecting "Script object to New Window" and "Alter".

On MS SQL Server Management Studio, this option is visible by right clicking on the table, selecting "Script table as", then "Alter to" is visible but not available. I'm logged in under the db_owner role.

Any ideas?

Hi saleyoum,

This functionality should be the same in all versions of the tools you mentioned above (i.e. Query Analyzer, EM, SSMS)...meaning, you shouldn't be able to generate an alter table script from any of the GUI's...is that what you are seeing, or are you saying you are seeing it as possible in Query Analyzer and Enterprise Manager (you shouldn't be I hope :-))...

Basically, there are so many possibilities with altering a table, it would be near impossible to generate an alter script template to a new window/clipboard/etc....you could want to alter a column, multiple columns, all columns, add columns, drop columns, manage constraints (table and column level), change collations, compute/persist columns, switch partitions, enable/disable/manage triggers, etc., etc., etc...that's the part of the reason you don't see it enabled I'm sure...

HTH,

|||I understand your explanation but why have it visible for tables? Is this functionality only available for functions & stored procedures?|||

Well, the functionality to ALTER tables is available, you just don't get a fancy GUI menu option for it :-)...if you need to alter a table, you'll have to code the alter script yourself is all.

As for why to have it visible and disabled vs. invisible, not sure, would have to ask the GUI folks that one...probably just to be consistent with the options I guess...

HTH,