Knowledge Base

BUG: Adding Columns of Non-Nullable User Defined Datatypes

Article ID: 168660

Article Last Modified on 10/3/2003

Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q168660

BUG #: 16534 (WINDOWS: 6.5)

SYMPTOMS

In SQL Server, you can only add columns that allow NULL to an existing table. However, if a user-defined datatype is created as not allowing NULLs, this user-defined datatype can be added to existing tables as shown in the following example:

   sp_addtype 'ssn', 'VARCHAR(11)','NOT NULL'
   GO
   ALTER TABLE Test
   ADD
   SSNumber ssn NULL

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, add this user-defined datatype during the initial creation of the table.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in SQL Server version 6.5. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Keywords: kbbug kbusage KB168660