Re: BUG #15601: ERRO TYPE SERIAL

On Mon, Jan 21, 2019 at 4:26 PM PG Bug reporting form <
noreply(at)postgresql(dot)org> wrote:

> The following bug has been logged on the website:
>
> Bug reference: 15601
> Logged by: Waltênio de Bessa Mendes
> Email address: walteniobessa(at)gmail(dot)com
> PostgreSQL version: 11.1
> Operating system: Win 10
> Description:
>
> ALTER TABLE documento ALTER COLUMN id_doc TYPE SERIAL;
>
> ERROR: type "serial" does not exist
> ********** Error **********
>
> ERROR: type "serial" does not exist
> SQL state: 42704
>
>
This isn't a bug.

According to the doc (
https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/datatype-numeric.html#DATATYPE-SERIAL
):

The data types smallserial, serial and bigserial are not true types, but
merely a notational convenience for creating unique identifier columns
(similar to the AUTO_INCREMENT property supported by some other databases)

Further down, it tells you how to turn an existing column into that behaves
just as if you had created it with 'serial' in the first place.

Cheers,

Jeff