# syntax for modify Column Data Type **URL:** \ **Category:** Liquibase Development\ **Created:** [June 27, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.liquibase.org/t/syntax-for-modify-column-data-type/1525 "2011-06-27T19:03:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![suree411](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@suree411](https://forum.liquibase.org/u/suree411)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.liquibase.org/t/syntax-for-modify-column-data-type/1525/1 "2011-06-27T19:03:00Z")
how can i modify column data type in liquibase i am using postgres SQL ---
**Author:** ![ljnelson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.liquibase.org/ljnelson/32/120_2.png) [@ljnelson](https://forum.liquibase.org/u/ljnelson)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.liquibase.org/t/syntax-for-modify-column-data-type/1525/2 "2011-06-27T19:03:00Z")
[http://lmgtfy.com/?q=liquibase+%22modify+data+type%22&l=1](http://lmgtfy.com/?q=liquibase+%22modify+data+type%22&l=1) Best, Laird ---
**Author:** ![Guest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@Guest](https://forum.liquibase.org/u/Guest)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.liquibase.org/t/syntax-for-modify-column-data-type/1525/3 "2011-06-27T19:03:00Z")
``` i tried like mentioned below ,but it's not working ikn Postgresql \ \ ``` ---
**Author:** ![Guest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@Guest](https://forum.liquibase.org/u/Guest)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.liquibase.org/t/syntax-for-modify-column-data-type/1525/4 "2011-06-27T19:03:00Z")
``` i tried like mentioned below ,but it's not working ikn Postgresql \ \ ``` ---
**Author:** ![Guest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@Guest](https://forum.liquibase.org/u/Guest)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.liquibase.org/t/syntax-for-modify-column-data-type/1525/5 "2011-06-27T19:03:00Z")
i created a table temp with id int and custName varchar(500),it’s created. now iam trying to modify data type of custName varchar(500) to char(300),and i am getting error like mentioned below. INFO 7/14/11 11:19 AM:liquibase: Successfully acquired change log lock INFO 7/14/11 11:19 AM:liquibase: Reading from databasechangelog INFO 7/14/11 11:19 AM:liquibase: Reading from databasechangelog SEVERE 7/14/11 11:19 AM:liquibase: Error executing SQL ALTER TABLE temp ALTER COLUMN “custName” TYPE CHAR(300) org.postgresql.util.PSQLException: ERROR: syntax error at or near “TYPE”         at org.postgresql.core.v3.QueryExecutorImpl.receiveErrorResponse(QueryExecutorImpl.java:1608)         at org.postgresql.core.v3.QueryExecutorImpl.processResults(QueryExecutorImpl.java:1343)         at org.postgresql.core.v3.QueryExecutorImpl.execute(QueryExecutorImpl.java:194)         at org.postgresql.jdbc2.AbstractJdbc2Statement.execute(AbstractJdbc2Statement.java:451)         at org.postgresql.jdbc2.AbstractJdbc2Statement.executeWithFlags(AbstractJdbc2Statement.java:336)         at org.postgresql.jdbc2.AbstractJdbc2Statement.execute(AbstractJdbc2Statement.java:328)         at liquibase.executor.jvm.JdbcExecutor$1ExecuteStatementCallback.doInStatement(JdbcExecutor.java:92)         at liquibase.executor.jvm.JdbcExecutor.execute(JdbcExecutor.java:55)         at liquibase.executor.jvm.JdbcExecutor.execute(JdbcExecutor.java:105)         at liquibase.database.AbstractDatabase.execute(AbstractDatabase.java:1014)         at liquibase.database.AbstractDatabase.executeStatements(AbstractDatabase.java:998)         at liquibase.changelog.ChangeSet.execute(ChangeSet.java:317)         at liquibase.changelog.visitor.UpdateVisitor.visit(UpdateVisitor.java:27)         at liquibase.changelog.ChangeLogIterator.run(ChangeLogIterator.java:58)         at liquibase.Liquibase.update(Liquibase.java:113)         at liquibase.integration.commandline.Main.doMigration(Main.java:684)         at liquibase.integration.commandline.Main.main(Main.java:116) SEVERE 7/14/11 11:19 AM:liquibase: Change Set ./changelog\_ps1.xml::12::a1106 failed.  Error: Error executing SQL ALTER TABLE temp ALTER COLUMN “custName” TYPE CHAR(300): ERROR: syntax error at or near "TYPE" liquibase.exception.DatabaseException: Error executing SQL ALTER TABLE temp ALTER COLUMN “custName” TYPE CHAR(300): ERROR: syntax error at or near “TYPE”         at liquibase.executor.jvm.JdbcExecutor.execute(JdbcExecutor.java:62)         at liquibase.executor.jvm.JdbcExecutor.execute(JdbcExecutor.java:105)         at liquibase.database.AbstractDatabase.execute(AbstractDatabase.java:1014)         at liquibase.database.AbstractDatabase.executeStatements(AbstractDatabase.java:998)         at liquibase.changelog.ChangeSet.execute(ChangeSet.java:317)         at liquibase.changelog.visitor.UpdateVisitor.visit(UpdateVisitor.java:27)         at liquibase.changelog.ChangeLogIterator.run(ChangeLogIterator.java:58)         at liquibase.Liquibase.update(Liquibase.java:113)         at liquibase.integration.commandline.Main.doMigration(Main.java:684)         at liquibase.integration.commandline.Main.main(Main.java:116) Caused by: org.postgresql.util.PSQLException: ERROR: syntax error at or near “TYPE”         at org.postgresql.core.v3.QueryExecutorImpl.receiveErrorResponse(QueryExecutorImpl.java:1608)         at org.postgresql.core.v3.QueryExecutorImpl.processResults(QueryExecutorImpl.java:1343)         at org.postgresql.core.v3.QueryExecutorImpl.execute(QueryExecutorImpl.java:194)         at org.postgresql.jdbc2.AbstractJdbc2Statement.execute(AbstractJdbc2Statement.java:451)         at org.postgresql.jdbc2.AbstractJdbc2Statement.executeWithFlags(AbstractJdbc2Statement.java:336)         at org.postgresql.jdbc2.AbstractJdbc2Statement.execute(AbstractJdbc2Statement.java:328)         at liquibase.executor.jvm.JdbcExecutor$1ExecuteStatementCallback.doInStatement(JdbcExecutor.java:92)         at liquibase.executor.jvm.JdbcExecutor.execute(JdbcExecutor.java:55)         … 9 more INFO 7/14/11 11:19 AM:liquibase: Successfully released change log lock Liquibase Update Failed: Error executing SQL ALTER TABLE temp ALTER COLUMN “custName” TYPE CHAR(300): ERROR: syntax error at or near "TYPE" SEVERE 7/14/11 11:19 AM:liquibase: Error executing SQL ALTER TABLE temp ALTER COLUMN “custName” TYPE CHAR(300): ERROR: syntax error at or near "TYPE" liquibase.exception.MigrationFailedException: Migration failed for change set ./changelog\_ps1.xml::12::a1106:      Reason: liquibase.exception.DatabaseException: Error executing SQL ALTER TABLE temp ALTER COLUMN “custName” TYPE CHAR(300): ERROR: syntax error at or near “TYPE”:           Caused By: Error executing SQL ALTER TABLE temp ALTER COLUMN “custName” TYPE CHAR(300): ERROR: syntax error at or near “TYPE”:           Caused By: ERROR: syntax error at or near “TYPE”         at liquibase.changelog.ChangeSet.execute(ChangeSet.java:347)         at liquibase.changelog.visitor.UpdateVisitor.visit(UpdateVisitor.java:27)         at liquibase.changelog.ChangeLogIterator.run(ChangeLogIterator.java:58)         at liquibase.Liquibase.update(Liquibase.java:113)         at liquibase.integration.commandline.Main.doMigration(Main.java:684)         at liquibase.integration.commandline.Main.main(Main.java:116) Caused by: liquibase.exception.DatabaseException: Error executing SQL ALTER TABLE temp ALTER COLUMN “custName” TYPE CHAR(300): ERROR: syntax error at or near “TYPE”         at liquibase.executor.jvm.JdbcExecutor.execute(JdbcExecutor.java:62)         at liquibase.executor.jvm.JdbcExecutor.execute(JdbcExecutor.java:105)         at liquibase.database.AbstractDatabase.execute(AbstractDatabase.java:1014)         at liquibase.database.AbstractDatabase.executeStatements(AbstractDatabase.java:998)         at liquibase.changelog.ChangeSet.execute(ChangeSet.java:317)         … 5 more Caused by: org.postgresql.util.PSQLException: ERROR: syntax error at or near “TYPE”         at org.postgresql.core.v3.QueryExecutorImpl.receiveErrorResponse(QueryExecutorImpl.java:1608)         at org.postgresql.core.v3.QueryExecutorImpl.processResults(QueryExecutorImpl.java:1343)         at org.postgresql.core.v3.QueryExecutorImpl.execute(QueryExecutorImpl.java:194)         at org.postgresql.jdbc2.AbstractJdbc2Statement.execute(AbstractJdbc2Statement.java:451)         at org.postgresql.jdbc2.AbstractJdbc2Statement.executeWithFlags(AbstractJdbc2Statement.java:336)         at org.postgresql.jdbc2.AbstractJdbc2Statement.execute(AbstractJdbc2Statement.java:328)         at liquibase.executor.jvm.JdbcExecutor$1ExecuteStatementCallback.doInStatement(JdbcExecutor.java:92)         at liquibase.executor.jvm.JdbcExecutor.execute(JdbcExecutor.java:55)         … 9 more ---
**Author:** ![Guest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@Guest](https://forum.liquibase.org/u/Guest)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.liquibase.org/t/syntax-for-modify-column-data-type/1525/6 "2011-06-27T19:03:00Z")
version postgres 7.1 ---
**Author:** ![nvoxland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/87869e/32.png) [@nvoxland](https://forum.liquibase.org/u/nvoxland)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.liquibase.org/t/syntax-for-modify-column-data-type/1525/7 "2011-06-27T19:03:00Z")
What is the error you are getting? Nathan ---
**Author:** ![nvoxland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/87869e/32.png) [@nvoxland](https://forum.liquibase.org/u/nvoxland)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.liquibase.org/t/syntax-for-modify-column-data-type/1525/8 "2011-06-27T19:03:00Z")
From the postgres docs, it looks like \