DROP EXTERNAL TABLE (Transact-SQL)
Applies to: SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later Azure SQL Managed Instance Azure Synapse Analytics Analytics Platform System (PDW)
Removes a PolyBase external table from a database, but doesn't delete the external data.
Transact-SQL syntax conventions
DROP EXTERNAL TABLE { database_name.schema_name.table_name | schema_name.table_name | table_name }
[;]
[ database_name . [schema_name] . | schema_name . ] table_name
The one- to three-part name of the external table to remove. The table name can optionally include the schema, or the database and schema.
Requires:
- ALTER permission on the schema to which the table belongs.
- ALTER ANY EXTERNAL DATA SOURCE
- ALTER ANY EXTERNAL FILE FORMAT
Dropping an external table removes all table-related metadata. It doesn't delete the external data.
DROP EXTERNAL TABLE SalesPerson;
DROP EXTERNAL TABLE dbo.SalesPerson;
DROP EXTERNAL TABLE EasternDivision.dbo.SalesPerson;
The following example removes the ProductVendor1
table, its data, indexes, and any dependent views from the current database.
DROP EXTERNAL TABLE ProductVendor1;
The following example drops the SalesPerson
table in the EasternDivision
database.
DROP EXTERNAL TABLE EasternDivision.dbo.SalesPerson;