PostgreSQL 7.4 Documentation
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# ALTER SEQUENCE

## Name

ALTER SEQUENCE -- alter the definition of a sequence generator

## Synopsis

    ALTER SEQUENCE name [ INCREMENT [ BY ] increment ]
        [ MINVALUE minvalue | NO MINVALUE ] [ MAXVALUE maxvalue | NO MAXVALUE ]
        [ RESTART [ WITH ] start ] [ CACHE cache ] [ [ NO ] CYCLE ]

## Description

`ALTER SEQUENCE` changes the parameters of an existing sequence generator. Any parameter not specifically set in the `ALTER SEQUENCE` command retains its prior setting.

## Parameters

name

  The name (optionally schema-qualified) of a sequence to be altered.

increment

  The clause INCREMENT BY increment is optional. A positive value will make an ascending sequence, a negative one a descending sequence. If unspecified, the old increment value will be maintained.

minvalue
NO MINVALUE

  The optional clause MINVALUE minvalue determines the minimum value a sequence can generate. If NO MINVALUE is specified, the defaults of 1 and -263-1 for ascending and descending sequences, respectively, will be used. If neither option is specified, the current minimum value will be maintained.

maxvalue
NO MAXVALUE

  The optional clause MAXVALUE maxvalue determines the maximum value for the sequence. If NO MAXVALUE is specified, the defaults are 263-1 and -1 for ascending and descending sequences, respectively, will be used. If neither option is specified, the current maximum value will be maintained.

start

  The optional clause RESTART WITH start changes the current value of the sequence.

cache

  The clause CACHE cache enables sequence numbers to be preallocated and stored in memory for faster access. The minimum value is 1 (only one value can be generated at a time, i.e., no cache). If unspecified, the old cache value will be maintained.

CYCLE

  The optional CYCLE key word may be used to enable the sequence to wrap around when the maxvalue or minvalue has been reached by an ascending or descending sequence respectively. If the limit is reached, the next number generated will be the minvalue or maxvalue, respectively.

NO CYCLE

  If the optional NO CYCLE key word is specified, any calls to `nextval` after the sequence has reached its maximum value will return an error. If neither CYCLE or NO CYCLE are specified, the old cycle behaviour will be maintained.

## Examples

Restart a sequence called serial, at 105:

    ALTER SEQUENCE serial RESTART WITH 105;

## Notes

To avoid blocking of concurrent transactions that obtain numbers from the same sequence, `ALTER SEQUENCE` is never rolled back; the changes take effect immediately and are not reversible.

`ALTER SEQUENCE` will not immediately affect nextval results in backends, other than the current one, that have preallocated (cached) sequence values. They will use up all cached values prior to noticing the changed sequence parameters. The current backend will be affected immediately.

## Compatibility

### SQL99

`ALTER SEQUENCE` is a PostgreSQL language extension. There is no `ALTER SEQUENCE` statement in SQL99.

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