<!--
-$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/ref/allfiles.sgml,v 1.11 1999/08/06 13:50:29 thomas Exp $
+$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/ref/allfiles.sgml,v 1.12 1999/10/01 15:24:09 thomas Exp $
Postgres documentation
Complete list of usable sgml source files in this directory.
-->
<!entity selectInto system "select_into.sgml">
<!entity set system "set.sgml">
<!entity show system "show.sgml">
+<!entity truncate system "truncate.sgml">
<!entity unlisten system "unlisten.sgml">
<!entity update system "update.sgml">
<!entity vacuum system "vacuum.sgml">
<!--
-$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/ref/Attic/commands.sgml,v 1.18 1999/08/06 13:50:30 thomas Exp $
+$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/ref/Attic/commands.sgml,v 1.19 1999/10/01 15:24:09 thomas Exp $
Postgres documentation
-->
&selectInto;
&set;
&show;
+ &truncate;
&unlisten;
&update;
&vacuum;
<!--
-$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/ref/truncate.sgml,v 1.1 1999/09/23 17:02:28 momjian Exp $
+$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/ref/truncate.sgml,v 1.2 1999/10/01 15:24:09 thomas Exp $
Postgres documentation
-->
TRUNCATE
</refname>
<refpurpose>
- Close a cursor
+ Empty a table
</refpurpose>
</refnamediv>
<refsynopsisdiv>
<date>1999-07-20</date>
</refsynopsisdivinfo>
<synopsis>
-TRUNCATE TABLE <replaceable class="PARAMETER">table</replaceable>
+TRUNCATE [ TABLE ] <replaceable class="PARAMETER">name</replaceable>
</synopsis>
<refsect2 id="R2-SQL-TRUNCATE-1">
<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
- <term><replaceable class="PARAMETER">table</replaceable></term>
+ <term><replaceable class="PARAMETER">name</replaceable></term>
<listitem>
<para>
- The table name to truncate.
+ The name of the table to be truncated.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
Description
</title>
<para>
- <command>TRUNCATE</command> quickly removes all rows from a table.
+ <command>TRUNCATE</command> quickly removes all rows from a
+ table. It has the same effect as an unqualified
+ <command>DELETE</command> but since it does not actually scan the
+ table it is faster. This is most effective on large tables.
</para>
-
+ </refsect1>
+
<refsect1 id="R1-SQL-TRUNCATE-2">
<title>
Usage
</title>
<para>
- Truncate the table bigtable.
- </para>
- <programlisting>
+ Truncate the table <literal>bigtable</literal>:
+
+ <programlisting>
TRUNCATE TABLE bigtable;
- </programlisting>
+ </programlisting>
+ </para>
</refsect1>
<refsect1 id="R1-SQL-TRUNCATE-3">