alter column to inet get error.

Hello List,

I want to change some columns in a database
that were originally created as char varying to
inet.

When I try I get an error. Is there anyway to work
around this?

See below for table definition.

Table "public.kernel_gre"
Column | Type | Modifiers
-----------------+-----------------------+---------------
interface | character varying(15) | not null
source_ip | character varying(16) |
dest_ip | character varying(16) |
physical_ip | character varying(16) |
status | boolean | default false
physical_src_ip | character varying(16) |
tunnel_netmask | character varying(16) |
key | character varying(32) |
state | boolean | default false
broadcast | boolean | default false

alter TABLE kernel_gre ALTER COLUMN source_ip TYPE inet;
ERROR: column "source_ip" cannot be cast to type "inet"

current table contents:
interface | source_ip | dest_ip | physical_ip | status | physical_src_ip | tunnel_netmask | key | state | broadcast
-----------+-----------+-----------+-------------+--------+-----------------+-----------------+-----+-------+-----------
gre2 | 10.1.1.2 | 10.1.1.1 | 1.1.1.1 | t | 1.1.1.2 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre3 | 10.1.1.4 | 10.1.1.3 | 1.1.1.3 | t | 1.1.1.4 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre4 | 10.1.1.6 | 10.1.1.5 | 1.1.1.5 | t | 1.1.1.6 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre5 | 10.1.1.8 | 10.1.1.7 | 1.1.1.7 | t | 1.1.1.8 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre6 | 10.1.1.10 | 10.1.1.9 | 1.1.1.9 | t | 1.1.1.10 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre7 | 10.1.1.12 | 10.1.1.11 | 1.1.1.11 | t | 1.1.1.12 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre8 | 10.1.1.14 | 10.1.1.13 | 1.1.1.13 | t | 1.1.1.14 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre9 | 10.1.1.16 | 10.1.1.15 | 1.1.1.15 | t | 1.1.1.16 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre10 | 10.1.1.18 | 10.1.1.17 | 1.1.1.17 | t | 1.1.1.18 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre11 | 10.1.1.20 | 10.1.1.19 | 1.1.1.19 | t | 1.1.1.20 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre12 | 10.1.1.22 | 10.1.1.21 | 1.1.1.21 | t | 1.1.1.22 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre13 | 10.1.1.24 | 10.1.1.23 | 1.1.1.23 | t | 1.1.1.24 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre14 | 10.1.1.26 | 10.1.1.25 | 1.1.1.25 | t | 1.1.1.26 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre15 | 10.1.1.28 | 10.1.1.27 | 1.1.1.27 | t | 1.1.1.28 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre16 | 10.1.1.30 | 10.1.1.29 | 1.1.1.29 | t | 1.1.1.30 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre17 | 10.1.1.32 | 10.1.1.31 | 1.1.1.31 | t | 1.1.1.32 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre18 | 10.1.1.34 | 10.1.1.33 | 1.1.1.33 | t | 1.1.1.34 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre19 | 10.1.1.36 | 10.1.1.35 | 1.1.1.35 | t | 1.1.1.36 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre20 | 10.1.1.38 | 10.1.1.37 | 1.1.1.37 | t | 1.1.1.38 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
gre21 | 10.1.1.40 | 10.1.1.39 | 1.1.1.39 | t | 1.1.1.40 | 255.255.255.255 | | f | f
(20 rows)

Thanks in advance,
--
Stephen Clark
NetWolves
Sr. Software Engineer III
Phone: 813-579-3200
Fax: 813-882-0209
Email: steve(dot)clark(at)netwolves(dot)com
www.netwolves.com