DROP EXTERNAL TABLE (Transact-SQL)

Applies to: SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later Azure SQL Managed Instance Azure Synapse Analytics Analytics Platform System (PDW)

Removes a PolyBase external table from a database, but doesn't delete the external data.

Transact-SQL syntax conventions

DROP EXTERNAL TABLE { database_name.schema_name.table_name | schema_name.table_name | table_name }
[;]  

[ database_name . [schema_name] . | schema_name . ] table_name
The one- to three-part name of the external table to remove. The table name can optionally include the schema, or the database and schema.

Requires:

• ALTER permission on the schema to which the table belongs.
• ALTER ANY EXTERNAL DATA SOURCE
• ALTER ANY EXTERNAL FILE FORMAT

Dropping an external table removes all table-related metadata. It doesn't delete the external data.

DROP EXTERNAL TABLE SalesPerson;  
DROP EXTERNAL TABLE dbo.SalesPerson;  
DROP EXTERNAL TABLE EasternDivision.dbo.SalesPerson;  

The following example removes the ProductVendor1 table, its data, indexes, and any dependent views from the current database.

DROP EXTERNAL TABLE ProductVendor1;  

The following example drops the SalesPerson table in the EasternDivision database.

DROP EXTERNAL TABLE EasternDivision.dbo.SalesPerson;  

CREATE EXTERNAL TABLE (Transact-SQL)