_Columns Table
The _Columns table is a read-only system table that contains the column catalog. It lists the columns for all the tables. You can query this table to find out if a given column exists.
The _Columns table has the following columns.
| Column | Type | Key | Nullable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Table | Text | Y | N |
| Number | Integer | Y | N |
| Name | Text | N | N |
Columns
-
Table
-
The name of the table that contains the column.
-
Number
-
The order of the column within the table.
-
Name
-
The name of the column.
Remarks
Because the _Columns table is a system table that cannot be modified through SQL queries, you cannot obtain the primary keys with the MsiDatabaseGetPrimaryKeys function or the PrimaryKeys property.
Only persistent columns are stored in the _Columns table. To determine if a temporary column exists one would need to create a view using a SELECT * statement against the table, then loop through all fields in a record returned by the MsiViewGetColumnInfo function with the MSICOLINFO_NAMES option.