Dropping Tables

When you no longer need a table, you can remove it from the database by dropping it.

    To drop a table

• In SQL Enterprise Manager's Server Manager window, select the table you want to drop, click the right mouse button, and then choose Drop.

  (For details, search for "table" in SQL Enterprise Manager Help.)

Or

• Use the DROP TABLE statement.

  For example:

  DROP TABLE authors

  drops the authors table from the pubs sample database. It is recommended that you not drop tables from the pubs sample database. If you do delete a table, you can always reinstall pubs (INSTPUBS.SQL, the pubs script, is located in the SQL Server INSTALL directory).

  (For details, see the DROP TABLE statement in the Microsoft SQL Server Transact-SQL Reference.)

Note You cannot drop any of the system tables in the master database or a user database.

SQL Server removes the specified table from the database, together with its contents and all the indexes and permissions associated with it. Rules or defaults bound to the table are no longer bound but are otherwise unaffected.