varchar to text

I'd like to alter all columns from type varchar to text. Could I do this by:

UPDATE pg_attribute SET atttypid = 25, atttypmod=-1 where attrelid
=(select oid from pg_class where relname='table_name') and atttypid=1043;

I just tried on a test database. It worked fine with one exception:
Views depending on an altered column did not work anymore. After
recreating the views it was ok.

I know the procedure of "rename column - add column - delete column" but
it's laborious for a large number of columns. There was also a
discussion on the list maybe one year ago. Unfortunately I couldn't find
the thread in the archive.

We are running postgres 7.4.1

Regards

Stefan

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Dr. Stefan Holzheu
Tel.: 0921/55-5720
Fax.: 0921/55-5799
BITOeK Wiss. Sekretariat
Universitaet Bayreuth
D-95440 Bayreuth
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