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Description

This error occurs when you attempt to perform partition-specific operations (like adding, dropping, or reorganizing partitions) on a MySQL table that has not been defined with a partitioning scheme. MySQL expects a table to be explicitly partitioned to allow such management actions.

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Error Message

Partition management on a not partitioned table is not possible

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Known Causes

3 known causes

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Attempting Partition Operations on a Standard Table

You executed an `ALTER TABLE` statement for partition management (e.g., `ADD PARTITION`, `DROP PARTITION`) on a table that was not created with a `PARTITION BY` clause.

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Misunderstanding Table Partitioning Status

The database user or application code incorrectly assumed a table was partitioned, leading to an invalid partition management command.

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Incorrect Schema Reference

A partition management command was accidentally directed at the wrong table, which happened to be an unpartitioned one.

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Solutions

3 solutions available

1. Verify Table Partitioning Status easy

Check if the table is actually partitioned before attempting partition management operations.

1

Connect to your MySQL server.

2

Execute the following SQL query to inspect the table's partitioning status. Replace `your_database_name` and `your_table_name` with your actual database and table names.

SELECT PARTITION_NAME, PARTITION_METHOD, PARTITION_EXPRESSION FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.PARTITIONS WHERE TABLE_SCHEMA = 'your_database_name' AND TABLE_NAME = 'your_table_name';

3

If the query returns no rows or if `PARTITION_NAME` is NULL, the table is not partitioned. You will need to create the table as partitioned or re-create it with partitioning.

2. Re-create the Table with Partitioning medium

Drop the unpartitioned table and re-create it with the desired partitioning scheme.

1

Back up your data from the unpartitioned table. This is a critical step to prevent data loss.

mysqldump -u your_user -p your_database_name your_table_name > table_backup.sql

2

Drop the existing unpartitioned table.

DROP TABLE your_database_name.your_table_name;

3

Create the table again, this time defining the partitioning. This is a sample for range partitioning on an integer column. Adjust `PARTITION BY RANGE`, the column, and the partitions to your specific needs.

CREATE TABLE your_database_name.your_table_name (
    id INT NOT NULL,
    data VARCHAR(255)
    -- other columns...
) ENGINE=InnoDB
PARTITION BY RANGE (id) (
    PARTITION p0 VALUES LESS THAN (100),
    PARTITION p1 VALUES LESS THAN (200),
    PARTITION p2 VALUES LESS THAN MAXVALUE
);

4

Restore the data from your backup into the newly created partitioned table.

mysql -u your_user -p your_database_name < table_backup.sql

3. Use `ALTER TABLE` to Add Partitioning (Requires Table Rebuild) advanced

Convert an existing unpartitioned table to a partitioned table using ALTER TABLE. This involves rebuilding the table.

1

Ensure you have ample disk space and time, as this operation can be resource-intensive and lock the table for an extended period.

2

Back up your data from the unpartitioned table. This is crucial for recovery.

mysqldump -u your_user -p your_database_name your_table_name > table_backup.sql

3

Use the `ALTER TABLE ... PARTITION BY ...` statement. This command will effectively rebuild the table with the specified partitioning. Replace `your_database_name`, `your_table_name`, and the partitioning details with your requirements.

ALTER TABLE your_database_name.your_table_name
PARTITION BY RANGE (id) (
    PARTITION p0 VALUES LESS THAN (100),
    PARTITION p1 VALUES LESS THAN (200),
    PARTITION p2 VALUES LESS THAN MAXVALUE
);

4

After the `ALTER TABLE` operation completes, verify the partitioning status using `INFORMATION_SCHEMA.PARTITIONS` as shown in Solution 1.

5

If the `ALTER TABLE` operation fails or if you need to revert, restore from your backup.

mysql -u your_user -p your_database_name < table_backup.sql

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Related Errors

5 related errors

MySQL Error 1505: Partition Management on Unpartitioned Tables