How do I change a bad column name?

I have a table one of whose columns is named 'interval', which is also
a mysql datatype. I don't know how easy it is to create such a table,
but it sure isn't easy to use it.

Mysql won't let me access this column in any way that I've tried: I
can't select it or update it; I can't delete it or rename it.
Do I have to recreate the whole table to get rid of it?

thanks, --thelma

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 21:36:27 +0200, <thelma@uwm.edu> wrote:

> I have a table one of whose columns is named 'interval', which is also
> a mysql datatype. I don't know how easy it is to create such a table,
> but it sure isn't easy to use it.
>
> Mysql won't let me access this column in any way that I've tried: I
> can't select it or update it; I can't delete it or rename it.
> Do I have to recreate the whole table to get rid of it?

Use backticks to access it:
ALTER tablename CHANGE COLUMN `interval` other_name <rest of column
definition>
--
Rik Wasmus

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:36:27 -0500, thelma@uwm.edu wrote:
> I have a table one of whose columns is named 'interval', which is also
> a mysql datatype. I don't know how easy it is to create such a table,
> but it sure isn't easy to use it.
>
> Mysql won't let me access this column in any way that I've tried: I
> can't select it or update it; I can't delete it or rename it.
> Do I have to recreate the whole table to get rid of it?
>
> thanks, --thelma

Quote it with back-tickies, like `interval` and think every time how
annoying it is, and resolve never to permit this kind of foolishness to
happen in the future.

--
12. One of my advisors will be an average five-year-old child. Any flaws in my
plan that he is able to spot will be corrected before implementation.
--Peter Anspach's list of things to do as an Evil Overlord

Peter H. Coffin <hellsop@ninehells.com> wrote:
: On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:36:27 -0500, thelma@uwm.edu wrote:
: > I have a table one of whose columns is named 'interval', which is also
: > a mysql datatype. I don't know how easy it is to create such a table,
: > but it sure isn't easy to use it.
: >
: > Mysql won't let me access this column in any way that I've tried: I
: > can't select it or update it; I can't delete it or rename it.
: > Do I have to recreate the whole table to get rid of it?
: >
: > thanks, --thelma

: Quote it with back-tickies, like `interval` and think every time how
: annoying it is, and resolve never to permit this kind of foolishness to
: happen in the future.

Thank you, and thanks also to Rik Wasmus.
I didn't create the table; I just inherited it, but it's kept
me from adding columns called 'limits' and 'done', names
too close to things the database might someday want for itself

--thelma