# Problem with generateChangeLog for existing database **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [April 2, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://forum.liquibase.org/t/problem-with-generatechangelog-for-existing-database/1899 "2012-04-02T19:12:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jeffwoqsjdhgcvukyasc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@jeffwoqsjdhgcvukyasc](https://forum.liquibase.org/u/jeffwoqsjdhgcvukyasc)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://forum.liquibase.org/t/problem-with-generatechangelog-for-existing-database/1899/1 "2012-04-02T19:12:00Z")
Hi, New to liquibase as of today. Trying to test some changes by first getting a copy of our existing database schema into liquibase. I ran the following command: liquibase --driver=org.postgresql.Driver \       --changeLogFile=db.changelog.xml \       --classpath=postgresql-9.1-901.jdbc4.jar \       --url=“jdbc:postgresql://dev01:5432/ampamw” \       --username=inpoc \       --password=password \       generateChangeLog against a postgresql 8.4 instance. The result looked like: Liquibase Home is not set. Liquibase Home: /Users/jeffwilliams/dev/liquibase/liquibase INFO 4/2/12 2:10 PM:liquibase: Reading tables for inpoc @ jdbc:postgresql://dev01:5432/ampamw … INFO 4/2/12 2:10 PM:liquibase: Reading views for inpoc @ jdbc:postgresql://dev01:5432/ampamw … INFO 4/2/12 2:10 PM:liquibase: Reading foreign keys for inpoc @ jdbc:postgresql://dev01:5432/ampamw … WARNING 4/2/12 2:11 PM:liquibase: Foreign key fk9ebfecd361bbc6d0 references table amw\_stat\_report\_key, which is in a different schema. Retaining FK in diff, but table will not be diffed. WARNING 4/2/12 2:11 PM:liquibase: Foreign key amw\_presale\_user\_fk1 references table amw\_presale\_secret\_key, which is in a different schema. Retaining FK in diff, but table will not be diffed. WARNING 4/2/12 2:11 PM:liquibase: Foreign key fk41eeff742c60edf0 references table amw\_presale\_secret\_key, which is in a different schema. Retaining FK in diff, but table will not be diffed. INFO 4/2/12 2:11 PM:liquibase: Reading primary keys for inpoc @ jdbc:postgresql://dev01:5432/ampamw … INFO 4/2/12 2:11 PM:liquibase: Reading columns for inpoc @ jdbc:postgresql://dev01:5432/ampamw … Liquibase Update Failed: ERROR: syntax error at or near “column”   Position: 9 SEVERE 4/2/12 2:11 PM:liquibase: ERROR: syntax error at or near “column”   Position: 9 liquibase.exception.DatabaseException: org.postgresql.util.PSQLException: ERROR: syntax error at or near “column”   Position: 9 … 5 more Regards, Jeff ---
**Author:** ![nvoxland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/87869e/32.png) [@nvoxland](https://forum.liquibase.org/u/nvoxland)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://forum.liquibase.org/t/problem-with-generatechangelog-for-existing-database/1899/2 "2012-04-02T19:12:00Z")
It looks like it is getting caught up on a column or table named “column”. Do you know where that may be and if it would be easy to rename as a workaround? Nathan ---
**Author:** ![Guest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@Guest](https://forum.liquibase.org/u/Guest)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://forum.liquibase.org/t/problem-with-generatechangelog-for-existing-database/1899/3 "2012-04-02T19:12:00Z")
Ok, I’ve found what may be the cause: 1. # \d tmp\_rule\_type\_group 2. Table “public.tmp\_rule\_type\_group” 3.   Column  |  Type   | Modifiers  4. ----------±--------±---------- 5.  ruleid   | integer |  6.  ?column? | text    |  However, shouldn’t liquibase be able to handle strange column names that are accepted by the database? Or is there an easy way to exclude this table from the dump? Getting a rename may take a long time. Jeff