Specify Column Names and Datatypes

When you create a replication definition, list the names and datatypes of the columns from the table that you want to copy.

A column’s name and datatype will be the same in the replicate table as in the primary table unless you specify a different replicate (published) column name or datatype.

Enclose the names of all of the columns and their datatypes in parentheses. For multiple columns, separate each column and its datatype from the next column with a comma.

create replication definition publishers_rep1
with primary at TOKYO_DS.pubs2
with all tables named publishers
(pub_id char(4),
pub_name varchar(40),
city varchar(20),
state char(2))
primary key (pub_id)

create replication definition publishers_rep2
with primary at TOKYO_DS.pubs2
with all tables named publishers
(pub_id char(4),
pub_name varchar(40),
state char(2))
primary key (pub_id)

Performance is best if columns are listed in the same order in the replication definition as in the tables themselves.

You can use only native and user defined datatypes supported by Replication Server. If a primary table has columns with user-defined datatypes, you must use a compatible supported datatype in the replication definition. You can also employ user-defined datatypes supplied with Replication Server as part of the installation process.

See Replication Server Reference Manual > Topics > Datatypes for complete details on the datatypes supported by Replication Server.

• When Source and Destination Columns Have Different Names
  When you want only one replication definition for a source table, and the source column names differ from their destination counterparts, use the column_name as replicate_column_name clause in the replication definition.
• Datatypes in Multiple Primary Table Replication Definitions
  When you create multiple replication definitions for the same source table, the declared column datatype (the column datatype in the primary table) must be the same, except when the column’s datatype is rawobject or rawobject in row, which correspond respectively to the image and varbinary datatypes.
• Additional Columns in the Replicate Table
  The replicate table may include a column that is not in the replication definition if the column has a defined default value or you use a custom function string to apply a value to that column.
• Include text , unitext, image, and java Columns
  To copy text, unitext, image, or the Java datatypes rawobject and rawobject in row column data to any destination site, include those columns in the replication definition.
• Use Special Datatypes
  To distribute updates to particular sites, use the rs_address special datatype with bitmap subscriptions.
• Use User-defined Datatypes
  To change the datatype of the replicated value at the primary database to a datatype acceptable to the replicate database, use the map to clause of the create replication definition command.