Sql-server – SQL DROP TABLE foreign key constraint

constraintsdatabase-tabledrop-tableforeign-keyssql server

If I want to delete all the tables in my database like this, will it take care of the foreign key constraint? If not, how do I take care of that first?

GO
IF OBJECT_ID('dbo.[Course]','U') IS NOT NULL
    DROP TABLE dbo.[Course]
GO
IF OBJECT_ID('dbo.[Student]','U') IS NOT NULL
    DROP TABLE dbo.[Student]

Best Answer

No, this will not drop your table if there are indeed foreign keys referencing it.

To get all foreign key relationships referencing your table, you could use this SQL (if you're on SQL Server 2005 and up):

SELECT * 
FROM sys.foreign_keys
WHERE referenced_object_id = object_id('Student')

and if there are any, with this statement here, you could create SQL statements to actually drop those FK relations:

SELECT 
    'ALTER TABLE [' +  OBJECT_SCHEMA_NAME(parent_object_id) +
    '].[' + OBJECT_NAME(parent_object_id) + 
    '] DROP CONSTRAINT [' + name + ']'
FROM sys.foreign_keys
WHERE referenced_object_id = object_id('Student')

Syntax:

ALTER TABLE {TABLENAME} 
ADD {COLUMNNAME} {TYPE} {NULL|NOT NULL} 
CONSTRAINT {CONSTRAINT_NAME} DEFAULT {DEFAULT_VALUE}
WITH VALUES

Example:

ALTER TABLE SomeTable
        ADD SomeCol Bit NULL --Or NOT NULL.
 CONSTRAINT D_SomeTable_SomeCol --When Omitted a Default-Constraint Name is autogenerated.
    DEFAULT (0)--Optional Default-Constraint.
WITH VALUES --Add if Column is Nullable and you want the Default Value for Existing Records.

Notes:

Optional Constraint Name:
If you leave out CONSTRAINT D_SomeTable_SomeCol then SQL Server will autogenerate
a Default-Contraint with a funny Name like: DF__SomeTa__SomeC__4FB7FEF6

Optional With-Values Statement:
The WITH VALUES is only needed when your Column is Nullable
and you want the Default Value used for Existing Records.
If your Column is NOT NULL, then it will automatically use the Default Value
for all Existing Records, whether you specify WITH VALUES or not.

How Inserts work with a Default-Constraint:
If you insert a Record into SomeTable and do not Specify SomeCol's value, then it will Default to 0.
If you insert a Record and Specify SomeCol's value as NULL (and your column allows nulls),
then the Default-Constraint will not be used and NULL will be inserted as the Value.

Notes were based on everyone's great feedback below.
Special Thanks to:
@Yatrix, @WalterStabosz, @YahooSerious, and @StackMan for their Comments.

Sql-server – How to foreign key constraints be temporarily disabled using T-SQL

If you want to disable all constraints in the database just run this code:

-- disable all constraints
EXEC sp_MSforeachtable "ALTER TABLE ? NOCHECK CONSTRAINT all"

To switch them back on, run: (the print is optional of course and it is just listing the tables)

-- enable all constraints
exec sp_MSforeachtable @command1="print '?'", @command2="ALTER TABLE ? WITH CHECK CHECK CONSTRAINT all"

I find it useful when populating data from one database to another. It is much better approach than dropping constraints. As you mentioned it comes handy when dropping all the data in the database and repopulating it (say in test environment).

If you are deleting all the data you may find this solution to be helpful.

Also sometimes it is handy to disable all triggers as well, you can see the complete solution here.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Sql – Add a column with a default value to an existing table in SQL Server

Syntax:

Example:

Notes:

Sql-server – How to foreign key constraints be temporarily disabled using T-SQL

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