Copying an entire table to another table

Copying an entire table to another table

I want to copy an entire table to another table, same platform. Is it either

insert 
   into tablename2 (column names)
 values (select * from tablename1 where... );

----(or)-----------------------

insert into  tablename2 select * from tablename1
where...

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The VALUES ([list]) clause is valid only when you are supplying literal values, not a select statement. Assuming the target table has already been defined with a CREATE TABLE statement, then the second of your two queries is correct.

insert into tablename2 
  select * from tablename1
   where...

Note that this "select star" format is permitted only when the tables have identical structures and no reformatting is required. (see How can I use INSERT INTO to copy an entire table into another? 23 May 2001).

Some databases have syntax which allows you to make a copy of a table without pre-defining the target table using CREATE TABLE. In Oracle and Postgresql, I believe it's CREATE TABLE ... AS SELECT ..., and in Microsoft Access and SQL/Server, it's SELECT ... INTO. 

  select field3                      as col1
       , ( field7 + field8 ) * 9.37  as col2
       , 0                           as col3
    into tablename2
    from tablename1

Note that aliases are supplied to give the columns good names (otherwise they get database-generated names).


This was first published in March 2002

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