Changing default value for a column

I have an existing database and I want to change it so that if no value is
inserted into a column that it populates that column with a zero instead of
a
null value. How do I make this change? I suspect I need to change all the
existing nulls to zero before making the change? Any help would be greatly
appreciated.That depends. Are you happy with the existing nulls? If so, simply add a
default constraint:
alter table MyTable
add
constraint DF1_MyTable default (0) for MyColumn
However, if you need to keep all nulls out, then populate the null columns
with some value and then alter the column:
alter table MyTable
alter column
MyColumn int not null
go
Then, add the default constraint as shown above.
Tom
----
Thomas A. Moreau, BSc, PhD, MCSE, MCDBA
SQL Server MVP
Columnist, SQL Server Professional
Toronto, ON Canada
www.pinpub.com
.
"rk rider" <rkrider@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:722BC848-15EA-474D-8F40-6BB078F7CDF3@.microsoft.com...
I have an existing database and I want to change it so that if no value is
inserted into a column that it populates that column with a zero instead of
a
null value. How do I make this change? I suspect I need to change all the
existing nulls to zero before making the change? Any help would be greatly
appreciated.