You can alter the replication definition in one of the following ways:
Providing a different replicate table name
Add columns to the columns list
Provide different replicate column names
Change the specifications for replicating text, unitext, image, or rawobject columns
Add columns to the primary keys column list
Remove columns from the primary keys column list
Add columns to the searchable columns list
Drop columns from a replication definition
Drop columns from the searchable columns list
Change declared or published column datatypes
Change the specification for replicating minimal columns
Change how the replication definition is used in replicating to a standby database
Function strings with replication definition scope are not automatically altered when you add columns to a table or to a replication definition. In certain cases, you must alter the function strings manually. See “Managing function strings” on page 32 in the Replication Server Administration Guide Volume 2.
Use alter replication definition at the primary Replication Server where you created the replication definition, or use rs_send_repserver_cmd at the primary database to send the alter replication definition request. See “Creating replication definitions” for more information about what you can include in a replication definition.
To rename primary or replicate tables, drop and re-create the replication definition. See “Renaming replicated tables” for more information about how to accomplish this task.
To drop or rename primary columns or change column datatypes, drop and re-create all the replication definitions that have the primary columns. See “Replication definition change request process” for more information about how to accomplish this task.
Refer to Chapter 3, “Replication Server Commands” in the Replication Server Reference Manual for more information about alter replication definition command.
Examples follow for different scenarios of altering replication definitions using alter replication definition.