SQLite Alter Table Drop Column (with some AutoIt magic)

[Skysnake]

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#cs ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    AutoIt Version: 3.3.14.0
    Author:         Skysnake
    Date:           2016.05.17

    Script Function:
    Alter table drop column.

    By way of example the original table has these three columns:
    name,surname,nickname
    to be replaced with
    name,surname,number

    "We cannot drop a specific column in SQLite 3. See the FAQ. It is not possible to
    rename a column, remove a column, or add or remove constraints from a table.
    While you can always create a new table and then drop the older one.Dec 9, 2011"

    http://stackoverflow.com/questions/8442147/how-to-delete-or-add-column-in-sqlite


    The only ALTER TABLE functions that SQLite supports are those that can be
    accomplished without having to rewrite the entire table.  Or, to put it
    another way, the only ALTER TABLE functions supported are those that can be
    done in O(1) time.

    ALTER TABLE DROP COLUMN requires writing every row of the table.

    D. Richard Hipp

    http://sqlite.1065341.n5.nabble.com/Why-can-t-SQLite-drop-columns-td64687.html

    Notes:
    Required original array size of table to be altered (zero count +1)
    Required the name of the column to drop
    Required full "create table ..." syntax for new column eg: , number  text   not null default 'Contact Number')


#ce ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

; Script Start - Add your code below here
; SQLite.dll version must match

#include <Array.au3>
#include <MsgBoxConstants.au3>
#include <SQLite.au3>
#include <SQLite.dll.au3>

Local Const $iMax = 6 ; this is the current table column count
Local $query, $aResult, $iRows, $iColumns, $ColName, $sMsg, $mySQLdb, $aLessColmns[$iMax][1] ; will require only one column
Local $sNewColNames


Local $sLocalSQLiteDll = "sqlite3_win32-x86-3120100.dll" ;

Local $sSQliteDll = _SQLite_Startup($sLocalSQLiteDll, False, 1)
If @error Then
    MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "SQLite Error", "SQLite3.dll Can't be Loaded!" & @CRLF & @CRLF & _
            "Not FOUND in @SystemDir, @WindowsDir, @ScriptDir, @WorkingDir or from www.autoitscript.com")
    Exit -1
EndIf

ConsoleWrite("_SQLite_LibVersion=" & _SQLite_LibVersion() & @CRLF)
$mySQLdb = _SQLite_Open(@ScriptDir & '\mydb.sql3')


; Without $sCallback it's a resultless statement
; ..................................................... create table tORiginal for System Info
$query = "CREATE TABLE if not exists tORiginal ( " _
         & "id  integer primary     key         unique not null " _
         & ", name                  text        not null default 'First Name' " _
         & ", surname               text        not null default 'Surname' " _
         & ", nickname              text        not null default 'Nickname' " _
         & ", RegDate               text        NOT NULL DEFAULT current_timestamp " _
         & " ) ; "

If Not _SQLite_Exec($mySQLdb, $query) = $SQLITE_OK Then _
        MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "SQLite Error", _SQLite_ErrMsg() & " * " & @ScriptLineNumber)

ConsoleWrite("SQL created tORiginal " & @CRLF)



; Without $sCallback it's a resultless statement
; ..................................................... create table tORiginal for System Info
$query = "Insert into tORiginal (name,surname,nickname) values ('John','Jones','Johnny') " _
         & "  ; "

If Not _SQLite_Exec($mySQLdb, $query) = $SQLITE_OK Then _
        MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "SQLite Error", _SQLite_ErrMsg() & " * " & @ScriptLineNumber)

ConsoleWrite("SQL data inserted into tORiginal " & @CRLF)



$query = " SELECT * FROM tORiginal " _
         & " ; "
; Query
; Query
$iRval = _SQLite_GetTable2d($mySQLdb, $query, $aResult, $iRows, $iColumns)
If $iRval = $SQLITE_OK Then
    ConsoleWrite("$SQLITE_OK at Line " & $SQLITE_OK & " " &@ScriptLineNumber & @CRLF)
Else
    MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "SQLite Error: " & $iRval, _SQLite_ErrMsg())
EndIf

_ArrayDisplay($aResult, "CREATEd and INSERTed"  ) ; show the results of insert into SQL table

; https://www.sqlite.org/pragma.html#pragma_table_info
$query = " pragma table_info(tORiginal) " _
         & " ; "
; Query
; Query
$iRval = _SQLite_GetTable2d($mySQLdb, $query, $aResult, $iRows, $iColumns)
If $iRval = $SQLITE_OK Then
    ConsoleWrite("$SQLITE_OK at Line " & $SQLITE_OK & " " &@ScriptLineNumber & @CRLF)
Else
    MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "SQLite Error: " & $iRval, _SQLite_ErrMsg())
EndIf

_ArrayDisplay($aResult, "Pragma Result: Original Table") ; show the results of pragma

ConsoleWrite("SQL PRAGMA to find all columns " & @CRLF)

; this is the AutoIt magic
; SQLite does not allow manipulation of the pragma result, but
; AutoIt can process this result as normal query result
; delete column %id% from result
#cs
    Row|Col 0   |Col 1      |Col 2  |Col 3  |Col 4      |Col 5
    [0]|cid     |name       |type   |notnull|dflt_value |pk
    [1]|0       |id         |INTEGER|0      |           |1
    [2]|1       |Name       |       |0      |           |0
    [3]|2       |Surname    |       |0      |           |0
    [4]|3       |Nickname   |       |0      |           |0 ; >>>>>>>>> column to remove

#CE

;https://www.autoitscript.com/wiki/Arrays#Comparing_Arrays
Local $transfound = UBound($aResult, 1) - 1
For $i = 1 To $transfound Step +1
    ConsoleWrite($aResult[$i][1] & @CRLF)

    ; Check that the array is big enough
    If UBound($aLessColmns) = $i Then
        ; Resize the array when $i is equal to the element count in the array to prevent subscript error
        ReDim $aLessColmns[$aLessColmns[0] + $iMax]

    EndIf

    If StringRegExp($aResult[$i][1], "nick") Then ;>>>>>>>>> remove the column you dont want
        ; it may be dangerous to use a Regex here :)
        ; do nothing, do not add this column name
    Else
        $aLessColmns[$i][0] = $aResult[$i][1] ; safely add data to new index element

        $aLessColmns[0][0] = $i ; update the index count for future reference
    EndIf
Next

; for good measure
; Move backwards through the array deleting the blank lines
For $i = UBound($aLessColmns) - 1 To 0 Step -1
    If $aLessColmns[$i][0] = "" Then
        _ArrayDelete($aLessColmns, $i)
    EndIf
Next
$aLessColmns[0][0] = UBound($aLessColmns) - 1 ; update the index count for future reference

_ArrayDisplay($aLessColmns, "Column names from tORiginal less one") ; show the new array

$sNewColNames = _ArrayToString($aLessColmns, "|", 1, -1, ",") ; entire array
MsgBox(0, "$sNewColNames", $sNewColNames)
ConsoleWrite("New Column names " & $sNewColNames & @CRLF)
; now create a transient table, insert values, and rename

_SQLite_Exec($mySQLdb, "Create table tNewColumns (" & $sNewColNames & ", number             text        not null default 'Contact Number') ; " & _
        "Insert into tNewColumns (" & $sNewColNames & ") select " & $sNewColNames & " from  tORiginal " & _
        " ; ")


$query = " SELECT * FROM tNewColumns " _
         & " ; "
; Query
; Query
$iRval = _SQLite_GetTable2d($mySQLdb, $query, $aResult, $iRows, $iColumns)
If $iRval = $SQLITE_OK Then
    ConsoleWrite("$SQLITE_OK at Line " & $SQLITE_OK & @ScriptLineNumber & @CRLF)
Else
    MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "SQLite Error: " & $iRval, _SQLite_ErrMsg())
EndIf

_ArrayDisplay($aResult, "Results of new table") ; show the results of insert into SQL table

; https://www.sqlite.org/pragma.html#pragma_table_info
$query = " pragma table_info(tORiginal) " _
         & " ; "
; Query
; Query
$iRval = _SQLite_GetTable2d($mySQLdb, $query, $aResult, $iRows, $iColumns)
If $iRval = $SQLITE_OK Then
    ConsoleWrite("$SQLITE_OK at Line " & $SQLITE_OK & " " &@ScriptLineNumber & @CRLF)
Else
    MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "SQLite Error: " & $iRval, _SQLite_ErrMsg())
EndIf

_ArrayDisplay($aResult, "Pragma Result: altered Original Table") ; show the results of pragma

ConsoleWrite("SQL PRAGMA to find all columns " & @CRLF)


; now drop tORiginal
; https://www.sqlite.org/lang_altertable.html
; ALTER TABLE tNewColumns RENAME TO tORiginal


ConsoleWrite("_SQLite_Shutdown " & @CRLF)
_SQLite_Shutdown()
FileDelete($mySQLdb)

I believe it is suitable to post on this Forum, as it serves no purpose anywhere else.  I have searched, and except for some ancient threads referring to this, could find nothing similar.  

I used SQLite 3.12.1 which can be downloaded here Precompiled Binaries for Windows. I see they are up to 3.12.2 now.

Painfully obvious is of course that one must know the name of the offending column.

 

Edited June 4, 2016 by Skysnake
2016.06.04 Improved