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esobrino's avatar
esobrino
Helper II
2 years ago
Solved

Data Warehouse Alter Table add default value constraint

I have been trying to add a DEFAULT constraint to a COLUMN.  I saw at least one 2023 post stating to check SQL surface area that, as it read says that the ALTER TABLE is not supported, I added a PRIMARY KEY CONSTRAINT using an ALTER TABLE... it just works and therefore the documentation may need some updates.

 

I have not found any sample or discussion on the use of ALTER TABLE to specify a DEFAULT value.  Since the documentation is not current there may be a way... the samples of ALTER TABLE to add a DEFAULT CONSTRAINT works well in on-prem SQL-SERVER but not in Microsoft Fabric Data Warehouse.

 

Hope that someone have some news about this...

 

 

  • Hi esobrino default constraints are not supported currently as per the documenation here: Primary, foreign, and unique keys - Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn 

    • SQL analytics endpoint and Warehouse don't support default constraints at this time.

    There's no news when they will be public either.

     

    The ALTER TABLE support in the T-SQL Surface Area documenation states "

    • ALTER TABLE ADD/ALTER/DROP COLUMN

    And as you've discovered, ALTER TABLE is supported when creating unique, primary key, and foreign key constraints.

     

    T-SQL surface area - Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn

     

    I hope that helps

     

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3 Replies

  • Hi Team

     

    Can you please let me know when the DEFAULT CONSTRAINTS will be added to Fabric Warehouse.

     

    Thanks,

    Keerthinath.C.M

  • AndyDDC's avatar
    AndyDDC
    Most Valuable Professional

    Hi esobrino default constraints are not supported currently as per the documenation here: Primary, foreign, and unique keys - Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn 

    • SQL analytics endpoint and Warehouse don't support default constraints at this time.

    There's no news when they will be public either.

     

    The ALTER TABLE support in the T-SQL Surface Area documenation states "

    • ALTER TABLE ADD/ALTER/DROP COLUMN

    And as you've discovered, ALTER TABLE is supported when creating unique, primary key, and foreign key constraints.

     

    T-SQL surface area - Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn

     

    I hope that helps

     

    -------------------------------------------------------

    If my post has been useful, please consider 

    provising Kudos and/or accepting as the Solution

    -------------------------------------------------------

    -----------------------------------------------

     

     

    "

    "

  • DC_KTotten's avatar
    DC_KTotten
    Regular Visitor

    Isn't this a pain.   I would love to know if this is on the road map.  I'd like to understand the mechanisms in place with columnar store and parquet that causes this to be a problem.  I would think that maybe delta table/sql interpreter could be made to allow this.  Anyone want to comment?