jimathyp/postgres-enum.md

## postgres-enum.md

      
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              postgres-enum.md
            
          
    Postgres enums

ERROR: when adding an enum to a table -  column "my_column" contains null values

CREATE TYPE my_enum AS ENUM ('value1', 'value2');
ALTER TABLE some_table ADD COLUMN my_new_column my_enum NOT NULL;

ERROR:  column "my_new_column" contains null values


had existing data
new column is not null
hack workaround - remove not-null constraint
real fix: add a default value to the column

ALTER TABLE some_table ADD COLUMN my_new_column my_enum NOT NULL DEFAULT 'value1';


that will take time (adds value to existing rows)
then remove the default

ALTER TABLE some_table ALTER COLUMN my_new_column DROP DEFAULT;