Delete table with empty name in PostgreSQL

Question

I'm trying to remove one of my tables stored in PostgreSQL 8.3.8 32bit.

Strange is that my table doesn't have a name, it's empty. Where I do:

SELECT * FORM pg_catalog.pg_tables;

it says that me tablename name is null. When I try to delete my table:

DROP TABLE sde. ;

where sde is my schemaname, error appears, telling me that there is a syntax error.

ERROR: syntax error at or near ";"
LINE 1:drop table sde. ;

Is there any way to delete that table?

I also tried that

DROP TABLE sde.'';

But still error appears.

My table has OID. Is it possible to delete it by OID?

The best solution for me would be renaming that table, that I can save my data from that table.

Object names need double quotes, not single qutoes. Try: drop table sde.""; — user330315
– user330315, Commented Feb 18, 2014 at 9:47
If I insert double quotes error appears: ERROR: zero-length delimited identifier at or near """" LINE 1: DROP TABLE sde.""; — user2919480
– user2919480, Commented Feb 18, 2014 at 9:49
Maybe your tablename consists only of whitespace? (so it isn't actually empty, but e.g. one or several spaces) — user330315
– user330315, Commented Feb 18, 2014 at 9:53

Tomas Greif · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-18 11:34:02Z

1

You cannot create table with empty name:

tgr=# create table "" ();
ERROR:  zero-length delimited identifier at or near """"
LINE 1: create table "" ();

However you can create a table with a lot of spaces, including newlines:

create table "               

                   " ();

To work with such table:

Find it in information_schema.tables
Copy/paste table name in some command in double quotes ("")

When the previous fails, you can try to update pg_class directly. If you have table OID, try this:

update pg_class set relname = 'test'::name where oid = <<YourOID>>;

edited Feb 18, 2014 at 11:34

answered Feb 18, 2014 at 10:21

Tomas Greif

22.9k25 gold badges114 silver badges162 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

5 Comments

user2919480 Over a year ago

I found it in information_schema.tables, its name looks like this ''. I've copied it and added double quotes: DROP TABLE sde."''";. But error appears telling me that table "''" does not exist.

Tomas Greif Over a year ago

I see. In 9.1.9 this is ok: create table sda."''"(); drop table sda."''"; Maybe this is some bug in older PostgreSQL version.

Tomas Greif Over a year ago

Do you see this table in pgAdmin? If yes, then you can rename '' table from there. Right-click on table name and then click on Properties. This also works for me.

user2919480 Over a year ago

Yes, I see it, but when I try to delete it, message windows appears: ERROR: syntax error at end of input. LINE 1: drop table sde.

Tomas Greif Over a year ago

What about updating pg_class directly? I am not sure if this can have some side-effects, but it works for me. If you have OID then: update pg_class set relname = 'test'::name where oid = <<YourOID>>;

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Delete table with empty name in PostgreSQL

1 Answer 1

5 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

5 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related