DROP

The DROP statement erases tables, views, synonyms, aliases, and other things (like indexes and authorizations) from the database. You must have the authority to drop tables or views from the database. To drop a synonym, you must be its owner. To drop an alias, you must be the owner or have SYSADM or SYSCTRL authority.

The syntax of the DROP statement is:

DROP object object-name

object

TABLE, VIEW, SYNONYM, or ALIAS

object-name

The name by which the object is known in the database.

For example:

This statement

Erases this object:

DROP TABLE PERS

The table PERS

DROP VIEW D42

The view D42

DROP SYNONYM APPLS

The synonym APPLS

DROP ALIAS PETROCK

The alias PETROCK

Attention: Use DROP TABLE with extreme caution. Dropping a table destroys the data in it, and destroys any view based on the table. It also revokes any authorization granted on the table or on any view based on the table.

Running any of the following commands:

DROP TABLE name
DROP VIEW name
DROP SYNONYM name
DROP ALIAS name
 

is equivalent to running the single QMF command:

ERASE TABLE name

DROP VIEW does not affect any tables the view is based on, and does not destroy tables in the database. A view that was dropped can easily be recreated. However, DROP VIEW revokes any authorization granted on the view.

DROP SYNONYM removes the synonym from a dictionary of synonyms, so it no longer refers to anything in the database. It has no effect on the tables or views the synonym accessed. If APPLS is in the synonym table for Q.APPLICANT, executing the example query DROP SYNONYM APPLS does not affect Q.APPLICANT. The query removes APPLS from a dictionary in the synonym table, so it no longer refers to anything in the database.