How to alter a column and change the default value?

mysql sql
qazwsx picture qazwsx · Jul 3, 2012 · Viewed 323.4k times · Source

I got the following error while trying to alter a column's data type and setting a new default value:

ALTER TABLE foobar_data ALTER COLUMN col VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL SET DEFAULT '{}';

ERROR 1064 (42000): You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL SET DEFAULT '{}'' at line 1

Answer

fancyPants picture fancyPants · Jul 3, 2012 
ALTER TABLE foobar_data MODIFY COLUMN col VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '{}';

A second possibility which does the same (thanks to juergen_d):

ALTER TABLE foobar_data CHANGE COLUMN col col VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '{}';

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