Cannot truncate table because it is being referenced by a FOREIGN KEY constraint?

Question

Using MSSQL2005, can I truncate a table with a foreign key constraint if I first truncate the child table (the table with the primary key of the FK relationship)?

I know that I can either

• Use a DELETE without a where clause and then RESEED the identity (or)
• Remove the FK, truncate the table, and recreate the FK.

I thought that as long as I truncated the child table before the parent, I'd be okay without doing either of the options above, but I'm getting this error:

Cannot truncate table 'TableName' because it is being referenced by a FOREIGN KEY constraint.

Answer 1

Correct; you cannot truncate a table which has an FK constraint on it.

Typically my process for this is:

1. Drop the constraints
2. Trunc the table
3. Recreate the constraints.

(All in a transaction, of course.)

Of course, this only applies if the child has already been truncated. Otherwise I go a different route, dependent entirely on what my data looks like. (Too many variables to get into here.)

The original poster determined WHY this is the case; see this answer for more details.

Answer 2

DELETE FROM TABLENAME
DBCC CHECKIDENT ('DATABASENAME.dbo.TABLENAME', RESEED, 0)

Note that this isn't probably what you'd want if you have millions+ of records, as it's very slow.

Answer 3

Because TRUNCATE TABLE is a DDL command, it cannot check to see whether the records in the table are being referenced by a record in the child table.

This is why DELETE works and TRUNCATE TABLE doesn't: because the database is able to make sure that it isn't being referenced by another record.

Answer 4

Without ALTER TABLE

-- Delete all records
DELETE FROM [TableName]
-- Set current ID to "1"
-- If table already contains data, use "0"
-- If table is empty and never insert data, use "1"
-- Use SP https://github.com/reduardo7/TableTruncate
DBCC CHECKIDENT ([TableName], RESEED, 0)

As Stored Procedure

https://github.com/reduardo7/TableTruncate

Note that this isn't probably what you'd want if you have millions+ of records, as it's very slow.

Answer 5

The solution @denver_citizen provided above did not work for me, but I liked the spirit of it so I modified a few things :

• made it a stored procedure
• changed the way the foreign keys are populated and recreated
• the original script truncates all referenced tables, this can cause foreign key violation error when the referenced table has other foreign key references. This script truncates only the table specified as parameter. It is up to the user, to call this stored procedure multiple times on all tables in the correct order

For the benefit of the public here is the updated script :

CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[truncate_non_empty_table]

  @TableToTruncate                 VARCHAR(64)

AS 

BEGIN

SET NOCOUNT ON

-- GLOBAL VARIABLES
DECLARE @i int
DECLARE @Debug bit
DECLARE @Recycle bit
DECLARE @Verbose bit
DECLARE @TableName varchar(80)
DECLARE @ColumnName varchar(80)
DECLARE @ReferencedTableName varchar(80)
DECLARE @ReferencedColumnName varchar(80)
DECLARE @ConstraintName varchar(250)

DECLARE @CreateStatement varchar(max)
DECLARE @DropStatement varchar(max)   
DECLARE @TruncateStatement varchar(max)
DECLARE @CreateStatementTemp varchar(max)
DECLARE @DropStatementTemp varchar(max)
DECLARE @TruncateStatementTemp varchar(max)
DECLARE @Statement varchar(max)

        -- 1 = Will not execute statements 
 SET @Debug = 0
        -- 0 = Will not create or truncate storage table
        -- 1 = Will create or truncate storage table
 SET @Recycle = 0
        -- 1 = Will print a message on every step
 set @Verbose = 1

 SET @i = 1
    SET @CreateStatement = 'ALTER TABLE [dbo].[<tablename>]  WITH NOCHECK ADD  CONSTRAINT [<constraintname>] FOREIGN KEY([<column>]) REFERENCES [dbo].[<reftable>] ([<refcolumn>])'
    SET @DropStatement = 'ALTER TABLE [dbo].[<tablename>] DROP CONSTRAINT [<constraintname>]'
    SET @TruncateStatement = 'TRUNCATE TABLE [<tablename>]'

-- Drop Temporary tables

IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb..#FKs') IS NOT NULL
    DROP TABLE #FKs

-- GET FKs
SELECT ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY OBJECT_NAME(parent_object_id), clm1.name) as ID,
       OBJECT_NAME(constraint_object_id) as ConstraintName,
       OBJECT_NAME(parent_object_id) as TableName,
       clm1.name as ColumnName, 
       OBJECT_NAME(referenced_object_id) as ReferencedTableName,
       clm2.name as ReferencedColumnName
  INTO #FKs
  FROM sys.foreign_key_columns fk
       JOIN sys.columns clm1 
         ON fk.parent_column_id = clm1.column_id 
            AND fk.parent_object_id = clm1.object_id
       JOIN sys.columns clm2
         ON fk.referenced_column_id = clm2.column_id 
            AND fk.referenced_object_id= clm2.object_id
 --WHERE OBJECT_NAME(parent_object_id) not in ('//tables that you do not wont to be truncated')
 WHERE OBJECT_NAME(referenced_object_id) = @TableToTruncate
 ORDER BY OBJECT_NAME(parent_object_id)


-- Prepare Storage Table
IF Not EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES WHERE TABLE_NAME = 'Internal_FK_Definition_Storage')
   BEGIN
        IF @Verbose = 1
     PRINT '1. Creating Process Specific Tables...'

  -- CREATE STORAGE TABLE IF IT DOES NOT EXISTS
  CREATE TABLE [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage] 
  (
   ID int not null identity(1,1) primary key,
   FK_Name varchar(250) not null,
   FK_CreationStatement varchar(max) not null,
   FK_DestructionStatement varchar(max) not null,
   Table_TruncationStatement varchar(max) not null
  ) 
   END 
ELSE
   BEGIN
        IF @Recycle = 0
            BEGIN
                IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '1. Truncating Process Specific Tables...'

    -- TRUNCATE TABLE IF IT ALREADY EXISTS
    TRUNCATE TABLE [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage]    
      END
      ELSE
         PRINT '1. Process specific table will be recycled from previous execution...'
   END


IF @Recycle = 0
   BEGIN

  IF @Verbose = 1
     PRINT '2. Backing up Foreign Key Definitions...'

  -- Fetch and persist FKs             
  WHILE (@i <= (SELECT MAX(ID) FROM #FKs))
   BEGIN
    SET @ConstraintName = (SELECT ConstraintName FROM #FKs WHERE ID = @i)
    SET @TableName = (SELECT TableName FROM #FKs WHERE ID = @i)
    SET @ColumnName = (SELECT ColumnName FROM #FKs WHERE ID = @i)
    SET @ReferencedTableName = (SELECT ReferencedTableName FROM #FKs WHERE ID = @i)
    SET @ReferencedColumnName = (SELECT ReferencedColumnName FROM #FKs WHERE ID = @i)

    SET @DropStatementTemp = REPLACE(REPLACE(@DropStatement,'<tablename>',@TableName),'<constraintname>',@ConstraintName)
    SET @CreateStatementTemp = REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(@CreateStatement,'<tablename>',@TableName),'<column>',@ColumnName),'<constraintname>',@ConstraintName),'<reftable>',@ReferencedTableName),'<refcolumn>',@ReferencedColumnName)
    SET @TruncateStatementTemp = REPLACE(@TruncateStatement,'<tablename>',@TableName) 

    INSERT INTO [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage]
                        SELECT @ConstraintName, @CreateStatementTemp, @DropStatementTemp, @TruncateStatementTemp

    SET @i = @i + 1

    IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '  > Backing up [' + @ConstraintName + '] from [' + @TableName + ']'

    END   
    END   
    ELSE 
       PRINT '2. Backup up was recycled from previous execution...'

       IF @Verbose = 1
     PRINT '3. Dropping Foreign Keys...'

    -- DROP FOREING KEYS
    SET @i = 1
    WHILE (@i <= (SELECT MAX(ID) FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage]))
          BEGIN
             SET @ConstraintName = (SELECT FK_Name FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage] WHERE ID = @i)
    SET @Statement = (SELECT FK_DestructionStatement FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage] WITH (NOLOCK) WHERE ID = @i)

    IF @Debug = 1 
       PRINT @Statement
    ELSE
       EXEC(@Statement)

    SET @i = @i + 1


    IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '  > Dropping [' + @ConstraintName + ']'

             END     


    IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '4. Truncating Tables...'

    -- TRUNCATE TABLES
-- SzP: commented out as the tables to be truncated might also contain tables that has foreign keys
-- to resolve this the stored procedure should be called recursively, but I dont have the time to do it...          
 /*
    SET @i = 1
    WHILE (@i <= (SELECT MAX(ID) FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage]))
          BEGIN

    SET @Statement = (SELECT Table_TruncationStatement FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage] WHERE ID = @i)

    IF @Debug = 1 
       PRINT @Statement
    ELSE
       EXEC(@Statement)

    SET @i = @i + 1

    IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '  > ' + @Statement
          END
*/          


    IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '  > TRUNCATE TABLE [' + @TableToTruncate + ']'

    IF @Debug = 1 
        PRINT 'TRUNCATE TABLE [' + @TableToTruncate + ']'
    ELSE
        EXEC('TRUNCATE TABLE [' + @TableToTruncate + ']')


    IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '5. Re-creating Foreign Keys...'

    -- CREATE FOREING KEYS
    SET @i = 1
    WHILE (@i <= (SELECT MAX(ID) FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage]))
          BEGIN
             SET @ConstraintName = (SELECT FK_Name FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage] WHERE ID = @i)
    SET @Statement = (SELECT FK_CreationStatement FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage] WHERE ID = @i)

    IF @Debug = 1 
       PRINT @Statement
    ELSE
       EXEC(@Statement)

    SET @i = @i + 1


    IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '  > Re-creating [' + @ConstraintName + ']'

          END

    IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '6. Process Completed'


END

Answer 6

use the following command after deletion of all rows in that table by using delete statement

delete from tablename

DBCC CHECKIDENT ('tablename', RESEED, 0)

EDIT: Corrected syntax for SQL Server

Answer 7

Well, since I did not find examples of the very simple solution I used, which is:

1. Drop foreign key;
2. Truncate table
3. Recreate foreign key

Here it goes:

1) Find the foreign key name that is causing the failure (for example: FK_PROBLEM_REASON, with field ID, from table TABLE_OWNING_CONSTRAINT) 2) Remove that key from the table:

ALTER TABLE TABLE_OWNING_CONSTRAINT DROP CONSTRAINT FK_PROBLEM_REASON

3) Truncate wanted table

TRUNCATE TABLE TABLE_TO_TRUNCATE

4) Re-add the key to that first table:

ALTER TABLE TABLE_OWNING_CONSTRAINT ADD CONSTRAINT FK_PROBLEM_REASON FOREIGN KEY(ID) REFERENCES TABLE_TO_TRUNCATE (ID)

That's it.

Answer 8

The process is removing foreign key constraint and truncate table then add constrain by following steps.

This is Just for MySQL

    SET FOREIGN_KEY_CHECKS = 0; 

    truncate table "yourTableName";

    SET FOREIGN_KEY_CHECKS = 1;

Answer 9

you can follow this step, By reseeding table you can delete the data of the table.

delete from table_name
dbcc checkident('table_name',reseed,0)

if some error comes then you have to reseed the primary table.

Answer 10

Here is a script I wrote in order to automate the process. I hope it helps.

SET NOCOUNT ON

-- GLOBAL VARIABLES
DECLARE @i int
DECLARE @Debug bit
DECLARE @Recycle bit
DECLARE @Verbose bit
DECLARE @TableName varchar(80)
DECLARE @ColumnName varchar(80)
DECLARE @ReferencedTableName varchar(80)
DECLARE @ReferencedColumnName varchar(80)
DECLARE @ConstraintName varchar(250)

DECLARE @CreateStatement varchar(max)
DECLARE @DropStatement varchar(max)   
DECLARE @TruncateStatement varchar(max)
DECLARE @CreateStatementTemp varchar(max)
DECLARE @DropStatementTemp varchar(max)
DECLARE @TruncateStatementTemp varchar(max)
DECLARE @Statement varchar(max)

        -- 1 = Will not execute statements 
 SET @Debug = 0
        -- 0 = Will not create or truncate storage table
        -- 1 = Will create or truncate storage table
 SET @Recycle = 0
        -- 1 = Will print a message on every step
 set @Verbose = 1

 SET @i = 1
    SET @CreateStatement = 'ALTER TABLE [dbo].[<tablename>]  WITH NOCHECK ADD  CONSTRAINT [<constraintname>] FOREIGN KEY([<column>]) REFERENCES [dbo].[<reftable>] ([<refcolumn>])'
    SET @DropStatement = 'ALTER TABLE [dbo].[<tablename>] DROP CONSTRAINT [<constraintname>]'
    SET @TruncateStatement = 'TRUNCATE TABLE [<tablename>]'

-- Drop Temporary tables
DROP TABLE #FKs

-- GET FKs
SELECT ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY OBJECT_NAME(parent_object_id), clm1.name) as ID,
       OBJECT_NAME(constraint_object_id) as ConstraintName,
       OBJECT_NAME(parent_object_id) as TableName,
       clm1.name as ColumnName, 
       OBJECT_NAME(referenced_object_id) as ReferencedTableName,
       clm2.name as ReferencedColumnName
  INTO #FKs
  FROM sys.foreign_key_columns fk
       JOIN sys.columns clm1 
         ON fk.parent_column_id = clm1.column_id 
            AND fk.parent_object_id = clm1.object_id
       JOIN sys.columns clm2
         ON fk.referenced_column_id = clm2.column_id 
            AND fk.referenced_object_id= clm2.object_id
 WHERE OBJECT_NAME(parent_object_id) not in ('//tables that you do not wont to be truncated')
 ORDER BY OBJECT_NAME(parent_object_id)


-- Prepare Storage Table
IF Not EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES WHERE TABLE_NAME = 'Internal_FK_Definition_Storage')
   BEGIN
        IF @Verbose = 1
     PRINT '1. Creating Process Specific Tables...'

  -- CREATE STORAGE TABLE IF IT DOES NOT EXISTS
  CREATE TABLE [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage] 
  (
   ID int not null identity(1,1) primary key,
   FK_Name varchar(250) not null,
   FK_CreationStatement varchar(max) not null,
   FK_DestructionStatement varchar(max) not null,
   Table_TruncationStatement varchar(max) not null
  ) 
   END 
ELSE
   BEGIN
        IF @Recycle = 0
            BEGIN
                IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '1. Truncating Process Specific Tables...'

    -- TRUNCATE TABLE IF IT ALREADY EXISTS
    TRUNCATE TABLE [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage]    
      END
      ELSE
         PRINT '1. Process specific table will be recycled from previous execution...'
   END

IF @Recycle = 0
   BEGIN

  IF @Verbose = 1
     PRINT '2. Backing up Foreign Key Definitions...'

  -- Fetch and persist FKs             
  WHILE (@i <= (SELECT MAX(ID) FROM #FKs))
   BEGIN
    SET @ConstraintName = (SELECT ConstraintName FROM #FKs WHERE ID = @i)
    SET @TableName = (SELECT TableName FROM #FKs WHERE ID = @i)
    SET @ColumnName = (SELECT ColumnName FROM #FKs WHERE ID = @i)
    SET @ReferencedTableName = (SELECT ReferencedTableName FROM #FKs WHERE ID = @i)
    SET @ReferencedColumnName = (SELECT ReferencedColumnName FROM #FKs WHERE ID = @i)

    SET @DropStatementTemp = REPLACE(REPLACE(@DropStatement,'<tablename>',@TableName),'<constraintname>',@ConstraintName)
    SET @CreateStatementTemp = REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(@CreateStatement,'<tablename>',@TableName),'<column>',@ColumnName),'<constraintname>',@ConstraintName),'<reftable>',@ReferencedTableName),'<refcolumn>',@ReferencedColumnName)
    SET @TruncateStatementTemp = REPLACE(@TruncateStatement,'<tablename>',@TableName) 

    INSERT INTO [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage]
                        SELECT @ConstraintName, @CreateStatementTemp, @DropStatementTemp, @TruncateStatementTemp

    SET @i = @i + 1

    IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '  > Backing up [' + @ConstraintName + '] from [' + @TableName + ']'

   END
    END   
    ELSE 
       PRINT '2. Backup up was recycled from previous execution...'

       IF @Verbose = 1
     PRINT '3. Dropping Foreign Keys...'

    -- DROP FOREING KEYS
    SET @i = 1
    WHILE (@i <= (SELECT MAX(ID) FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage]))
          BEGIN
             SET @ConstraintName = (SELECT FK_Name FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage] WHERE ID = @i)
    SET @Statement = (SELECT FK_DestructionStatement FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage] WITH (NOLOCK) WHERE ID = @i)

    IF @Debug = 1 
       PRINT @Statement
    ELSE
       EXEC(@Statement)

    SET @i = @i + 1

    IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '  > Dropping [' + @ConstraintName + ']'
             END     

    IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '4. Truncating Tables...'

    -- TRUNCATE TABLES
    SET @i = 1
    WHILE (@i <= (SELECT MAX(ID) FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage]))
          BEGIN
    SET @Statement = (SELECT Table_TruncationStatement FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage] WHERE ID = @i)

    IF @Debug = 1 
       PRINT @Statement
    ELSE
       EXEC(@Statement)

    SET @i = @i + 1

    IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '  > ' + @Statement
          END

    IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '5. Re-creating Foreign Keys...'

    -- CREATE FOREING KEYS
    SET @i = 1
    WHILE (@i <= (SELECT MAX(ID) FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage]))
          BEGIN
             SET @ConstraintName = (SELECT FK_Name FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage] WHERE ID = @i)
    SET @Statement = (SELECT FK_CreationStatement FROM [Internal_FK_Definition_Storage] WHERE ID = @i)

    IF @Debug = 1 
       PRINT @Statement
    ELSE
       EXEC(@Statement)

    SET @i = @i + 1

    IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '  > Re-creating [' + @ConstraintName + ']'
          END

    IF @Verbose = 1
       PRINT '6. Process Completed'

Answer 11

@denver_citizen and @Peter Szanto's answers didn't quite work for me, but I modified them to account for:

1. Composite Keys
2. On Delete and On Update actions
3. Checking the index when re-adding
4. Schemas other than dbo
5. Multiple tables at once

DECLARE @Debug bit = 0;

-- List of tables to truncate
select
    SchemaName, Name
into #tables
from (values 
    ('schema', 'table')
    ,('schema2', 'table2')
) as X(SchemaName, Name)


BEGIN TRANSACTION TruncateTrans;

with foreignKeys AS (
     SELECT 
        SCHEMA_NAME(fk.schema_id) as SchemaName
        ,fk.Name as ConstraintName
        ,OBJECT_NAME(fk.parent_object_id) as TableName
        ,SCHEMA_NAME(t.SCHEMA_ID) as ReferencedSchemaName
        ,OBJECT_NAME(fk.referenced_object_id) as ReferencedTableName
        ,fc.constraint_column_id
        ,COL_NAME(fk.parent_object_id, fc.parent_column_id) AS ColumnName
        ,COL_NAME(fk.referenced_object_id, fc.referenced_column_id) as ReferencedColumnName
        ,fk.delete_referential_action_desc
        ,fk.update_referential_action_desc
    FROM sys.foreign_keys AS fk
        JOIN sys.foreign_key_columns AS fc
            ON fk.object_id = fc.constraint_object_id
        JOIN #tables tbl 
            ON OBJECT_NAME(fc.referenced_object_id) = tbl.Name
        JOIN sys.tables t on OBJECT_NAME(t.object_id) = tbl.Name 
            and SCHEMA_NAME(t.schema_id) = tbl.SchemaName
            and t.OBJECT_ID = fc.referenced_object_id
)



select
    quotename(fk.ConstraintName) AS ConstraintName
    ,quotename(fk.SchemaName) + '.' + quotename(fk.TableName) AS TableName
    ,quotename(fk.ReferencedSchemaName) + '.' + quotename(fk.ReferencedTableName) AS ReferencedTableName
    ,replace(fk.delete_referential_action_desc, '_', ' ') AS DeleteAction
    ,replace(fk.update_referential_action_desc, '_', ' ') AS UpdateAction
    ,STUFF((
        SELECT ',' + quotename(fk2.ColumnName)
        FROM foreignKeys fk2 
        WHERE fk2.ConstraintName = fk.ConstraintName and fk2.SchemaName = fk.SchemaName
        ORDER BY fk2.constraint_column_id
        FOR XML PATH('')
    ),1,1,'') AS ColumnNames
    ,STUFF((
        SELECT ',' + quotename(fk2.ReferencedColumnName)
        FROM foreignKeys fk2 
        WHERE fk2.ConstraintName = fk.ConstraintName and fk2.SchemaName = fk.SchemaName
        ORDER BY fk2.constraint_column_id
        FOR XML PATH('')
    ),1,1,'') AS ReferencedColumnNames
into #FKs
from foreignKeys fk
GROUP BY fk.SchemaName, fk.ConstraintName, fk.TableName, fk.ReferencedSchemaName, fk.ReferencedTableName, fk.delete_referential_action_desc, fk.update_referential_action_desc



-- Drop FKs
select 
    identity(int,1,1) as ID,
    'ALTER TABLE ' + fk.TableName + ' DROP CONSTRAINT ' + fk.ConstraintName AS script
into #scripts
from #FKs fk

-- Truncate 
insert into #scripts
select distinct 
    'TRUNCATE TABLE ' + quotename(tbl.SchemaName) + '.' + quotename(tbl.Name) AS script
from #tables tbl

-- Recreate
insert into #scripts
select 
    'ALTER TABLE ' + fk.TableName + 
    ' WITH CHECK ADD CONSTRAINT ' + fk.ConstraintName + 
    ' FOREIGN KEY ('+ fk.ColumnNames +')' + 
    ' REFERENCES ' + fk.ReferencedTableName +' ('+ fk.ReferencedColumnNames +')' +
    ' ON DELETE ' + fk.DeleteAction COLLATE Latin1_General_CI_AS_KS_WS + ' ON UPDATE ' + fk.UpdateAction COLLATE Latin1_General_CI_AS_KS_WS AS script
from #FKs fk


DECLARE @script nvarchar(MAX);

DECLARE curScripts CURSOR FOR 
    select script
    from #scripts
    order by ID

OPEN curScripts

WHILE 1=1 BEGIN
    FETCH NEXT FROM curScripts INTO @script
    IF @@FETCH_STATUS != 0 BREAK;

    print @script;
    IF @Debug = 0
        EXEC (@script);
END
CLOSE curScripts
DEALLOCATE curScripts


drop table #scripts
drop table #FKs
drop table #tables


COMMIT TRANSACTION TruncateTrans;