I don't this this is possible as postgres. There is something simular with: alter table table_name alter column column_foo using column_bar But I don't think there's any performance advantage over a simple update and the using clause doesn't appear to have an equivalent in an add column statement. You could. alter table table_name rename column_foo to column_bar; alter table table_name add column_foo foo_data_type default = nextval('new_foo_sequence'); This has your best chance of success since renaming a column should not have to touch every row of the table. Regards On 4 October 2011 20:21, J.V. <jvsrvcs@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > What I need to do is to save the id column for future use and then modify > the id column resetting all values from another sequence. > > So I need to select the id column or somehow get the data into another > column in the same table. > > And then I can update the id column (after dropping the constraint). > > J.V. > > On 10/4/2011 1:09 PM, Scott Marlowe wrote: >> >> On Tue, Oct 4, 2011 at 12:24 PM, J.V.<jvsrvcs@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: >>> >>> Currently I can select one column into another with two statements: >>> >>> alter table<table_name> add column id_old int; >>> update<table_name> set id_old = id; >>> >>> Is there a way to do this in one statement with a select into? I have >>> tried >>> various select statements but want the new column (with the same data) to >>> be >>> in the same table and to have it execute much more quickly that the two >>> statements currently do. >> >> Do you need another column or do you just want to alter a column that >> already exists? If so you can alter a column from one type to another >> and throw a using clause at it to convert the data in some way. I >> think we need to know a bit better what you're trying to do., >> > > -- > Sent via pgsql-general mailing list (pgsql-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx) > To make changes to your subscription: > http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-general > -- Sent via pgsql-general mailing list (pgsql-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx) To make changes to your subscription: http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-general