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PostgreSQL documentation
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<refentry id="SQL-DROPVIEW">
 <refmeta>
  <refentrytitle id="SQL-DROPVIEW-TITLE">DROP VIEW</refentrytitle>
  <refmiscinfo>SQL - Language Statements</refmiscinfo>
 </refmeta>
 <refnamediv>
  <refname>
   DROP VIEW
  </refname>
  <refpurpose>
   remove a view
  </refpurpose>
 </refnamediv>
 <refsynopsisdiv>
  <refsynopsisdivinfo>
   <date>1999-07-20</date>
  </refsynopsisdivinfo>
  <synopsis>
DROP VIEW <replaceable class="PARAMETER">name</replaceable> [, ...]
  </synopsis>
  
  <refsect2 id="R2-SQL-DROPVIEW-1">
   <refsect2info>
    <date>1998-09-22</date>
   </refsect2info>
   <title>
    Inputs
   </title>
   <para>

    <variablelist>
     <varlistentry>
      <term><replaceable class="PARAMETER">name</replaceable></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
	The name (optionally schema-qualified) of an existing view.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>
    </variablelist>
   </para>
  </refsect2>

  <refsect2 id="R2-SQL-DROPVIEW-2">
   <refsect2info>
    <date>1998-09-22</date>
   </refsect2info>
   <title>
    Outputs
   </title>
   <para>

    <variablelist>
     <varlistentry>
      <term><computeroutput>
DROP
       </computeroutput></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
	The message returned if the command is successful.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>
     <varlistentry>
      <term><computeroutput>
ERROR: view <replaceable class="parameter">name</replaceable> does not exist
       </computeroutput></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
	This message occurs if the specified view does not exist in
	the database.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>
    </variablelist>
   </para>
  </refsect2>
 </refsynopsisdiv>

 <refsect1 id="R1-SQL-DROPVIEW-1">
  <refsect1info>
   <date>1998-09-22</date>
  </refsect1info>
  <title>
   Description
  </title>
  <para>
   <command>DROP VIEW</command> drops an existing view from the database.
   To execute this command you must be the owner of the
   view.
  </para>

  <refsect2 id="R2-SQL-DROPVIEW-3">
   <refsect2info>
    <date>1998-09-22</date>
   </refsect2info>
   <title>
    Notes
   </title>
   <para>
    Refer to <xref linkend="sql-createview">
    for information on how to create views.
   </para>
  </refsect2>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1 id="R1-SQL-DROPVIEW-2">
  <title>
   Usage
  </title>
  <para>
   This command will remove the view called <literal>kinds</literal>:
  </para>
  <programlisting>
DROP VIEW kinds;
  </programlisting>
 </refsect1>
 
 <refsect1 id="R1-SQL-DROPVIEW-3">
  <title>
   Compatibility
  </title>
  
  <refsect2 id="R2-SQL-DROPVIEW-4">
   <refsect2info>
    <date>1998-09-22</date>
   </refsect2info>
   <title>
    SQL92
   </title>
   <para>
    <acronym>SQL92</acronym> specifies some additional capabilities for
    <command>DROP VIEW</command>:
   
    <synopsis>
DROP VIEW <replaceable class="parameter">view</replaceable> { RESTRICT | CASCADE }
    </synopsis>
   </para>

   <refsect3 id="R3-SQL-DROPVIEW-1">
    <refsect3info>
     <date>1998-09-22</date>
    </refsect3info>
    <title>
     Inputs
    </title>
    <para>
     <variablelist>
      <varlistentry>
       <term>RESTRICT</term>
       <listitem>
	<para>
	 Ensures that only a view with no dependent views or
	 integrity constraints can be destroyed.
	</para>
       </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
      <varlistentry>
       <term>CASCADE</term>
       <listitem>
	<para>
	 Any referencing views and integrity constraints
	 will be dropped as well.
	</para>
       </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
     </variablelist>
    </para>
   </refsect3>

  <refsect3 id="R3-SQL-DROPVIEW-2">
   <refsect3info>
    <date>1998-09-22</date>
   </refsect3info>
   <title>
    Notes
    </title>
    <para>
     At present, to remove a referencing view from a
     <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> database, 
     you must drop it explicitly.
    </para>
   </refsect3>
  </refsect2>
 </refsect1>
</refentry>

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