The _Columns table is a read-only system table that contains the column catalog. It lists the columns for all the tables. You can query this table to find out if a given column exists.
The _Columns table has the following columns.
| Column | Type | Key | Nullable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Table | Text | Y | N |
| Number | Integer | Y | N |
| Name | Text | N | N |
Columns
- Table
The name of the table that contains the column.
- Number
The order of the column within the table.
- Name
The name of the column.
Remarks
Because the _Columns table is a system table that cannot be modified through SQL queries, you cannot obtain the primary keys with the MsiDatabaseGetPrimaryKeys function or the PrimaryKeys property.
Only persistent columns are stored in the _Columns table. To determine if a temporary column exists one would need to create a view using a SELECT * statement against the table, then loop through all fields in a record returned by the MsiViewGetColumnInfo function with the MSICOLINFO_NAMES option.
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Build date: 8/13/2009
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