please help me figure out why the heck i can't change the primary key or drop the table in sql 2008 express

[tonyonlinux]

Okay I made 4 tables books, Author, bookauthor(this is the linktable), booknumber well I wanted to take and make the books.ID indentity field set to yes but NOO NO NO sql server will not let me me. says something to do with the schema-bound dependencies. So in the diagram view I removed the links from the tables which i thought removed the relationships.   Well tried again same exact error. SO, I go alright I will take and delete the table and start over, that didn't work either same error of schema-bound dependencies. HOW THE HECK DO YOU REMOVE THE RELATIONSHIPS? So, now when i right click on books it gives me the error that is marked for deletion. How do I unmark it or delete it or whatever? I mean is it really this complicated ? :((

[Mycroft Holmes]

tonyonlinux wrote:

I mean is it really this complicated

It sure can be, your dealing with a database after all, not Access. Are you using management studio? Expand the table,inspect keys and constraints and deal with the ones you need to remove. You may have a setting that will not allow you to make table dropping changes set also. Although setting a identity column should not affect this. Make sure the ID column is int or bigint, this data change may screw you up as well.

Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH

[tonyonlinux]

Yes, I'm using the management tool provided with the express edition. In any event I got the table to drop after reading your message about looking at the constraints I just didn't know where they were listed. I see now thanks. do you recommend any free books that are really good to learn this stuff? Like library books or online stuff? Or even something not expensive so I can learn this? I bought the t-sql videos from trainingspot and i'm also a lifetime member of learnvisual.net and they help but I'm finding I get a lot of good answers and almost instant support from here. thank you and the rest that have helped me sooooooo!!!!!! much !!!!!!!!!

[Mycroft Holmes]

tonyonlinux wrote:

do you recommend any free books that are really good to learn this stuff

Sorry my training days are so out of date the material is probably not in print any longer :-D SQL Server Central is a good resource for learning, completely sql server centric whereas CP has a wider audience. I find CP more useful for support for that reason, wider experience/knowledge

Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH