What's the problem with NOT NULL columns?

DerekR

Hi
Can someone explain what the big deal is with being unable to propogating new columns that are marked as NOT NULL?
Obviously, in the source DB these columns have data so isn't it just a case of dropping this constraint, altering the table (or drop/create), importing the data and reapplying the NOT NULL property?
I don't want to get into writing migration scripts and I think forcing me into taking the NOT NULL property off the source table, then reapplying can't be right either, I put it there for a reason.

Regards

Derek

David Atkinson

The problem is that it's not possible to add the NOT NULL constraint to a table that has pre-existing data without doing an UPDATE to set the existing rows. SQL Compare can't second guess what these values should be.

David Atkinson
Red Gate