<para>
Another option that is often preferable is to remove the partition from
the partitioned table but retain access to it as a table in its own
- right:
+ right. This has two forms:
<programlisting>
ALTER TABLE measurement DETACH PARTITION measurement_y2006m02;
+ALTER TABLE measurement DETACH PARTITION measurement_y2006m02 CONCURRENTLY;
</programlisting>
- This allows further operations to be performed on the data before
+ These allow further operations to be performed on the data before
it is dropped. For example, this is often a useful time to back up
the data using <command>COPY</command>, <application>pg_dump</application>, or
similar tools. It might also be a useful time to aggregate data
into smaller formats, perform other data manipulations, or run
- reports.
+ reports. The first form of the command requires an
+ <literal>ACCESS EXCLUSIVE</literal> lock on the parent table.
+ Adding the <literal>CONCURRENTLY</literal> qualifier as in the second
+ form allows the detach operation to require only
+ <literal>SHARE UPDATE EXCLUSIVE</literal> lock on the parent table, but see
+ <link linkend="sql-altertable-detach-partition"><literal>ALTER TABLE ... DETACH PARTITION</literal></link>
+ for details on the restrictions.
</para>
<para>
might be poor.)
</para>
</listitem>
-
- <listitem>
- <para>
- Some operations require a stronger lock when using declarative
- partitioning than when using table inheritance. For example,
- removing a partition from a partitioned table requires taking
- an <literal>ACCESS EXCLUSIVE</literal> lock on the parent table,
- whereas a <literal>SHARE UPDATE EXCLUSIVE</literal> lock is enough
- in the case of regular inheritance.
- </para>
- </listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</para>