Newbie - why are column properties greyed out?

[Robert]

I am a newbie with SQL Server Express. In Management Studio Express when I
right-click on a column name and the properties window appears the
properties are greyed out so I can't make any entries into the properties.
Why is this/how can I correct it?

Robert

[Erland Sommarskog]

To change a column use ALTER TABLE ALTER COLUMN for the changes where it
is possible. Some changes require that you recreate and reload the
table.

At least in SSMS Sr you can right-click the column and select Modify which
opens the Table Designer. But! Don't go there! The Table Designer is
very buggy when it comes to changing tables, and you are a lot better off
without it.

--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esq...@sommarskog.se

Books Online for SQL Server 2005 at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/2005/downloads/books.mspx
Books Online for SQL Server 2000 at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/previousversions/books.mspx

[Robert]

I was able to find Modify but where is ALTER TABLE ALTER COLUMN?

"Erland Sommarskog" <esq...@sommarskog.se> wrote in message
news:Xns9A6B681C...@127.0.0.1...

[Erland Sommarskog]

Robert (cpq1bcle[REMOVE]@verizon.net) writes:
> I was able to find Modify but where is ALTER TABLE ALTER COLUMN?

In a query window near you. And more details in Books Online.

Yes, modifying table schemas means that you need to learn the SQL
statements to do it. It's not really a game that is apt for point-and-click
GUIs. At least not those that come with SQL Server. And in the end,
changing a production database on 1 TB is something that takes careful
planning. And that is definitely nothing you do from a GUI.