I think the usage scenario for external tables generally indicates that Hive does not try to manage it - and so it makes sense not to move tables or change its names...
See external table: https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/Hive/LanguageManual+DDL#LanguageManualDDL-ExternalTables See rename table: (which talks about managed tables - ie not external) https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/Hive/LanguageManual+DDL#LanguageManualDDL-RenameTable On Tue, Mar 21, 2017 at 1:40 PM, Pushkar.Gujar <pushkarvgu...@gmail.com> wrote: > An extension to below problem, I have noticed something else too in Hive > 2.1.0. > > If I create a *external* table with specific location and with > partitions, after renaming the partition, the underline folder names do not > change. > > > for e.g - > insert into test_local_part partition (col2=1) values (1),(3); > insert into test_local_part partition (col2=2) values (3); > > this will create folder structure like- > > /tmp/testtable/test_local_part/col2=1/ > /tmp/testtable/test_local_part/col2=2/ > > And after running rename, > alter table test_local_part partition (col2='1') rename to partition > (col2='4'); > > ** > The underline folder structure remains same as previous, shouldnt it > change to appropriate renamed column like - > > > /tmp/testtable/test_local_part/col2= > 4 > / > > > > Thank you, > *Pushkar Gujar* > > > On Mon, Mar 20, 2017 at 4:40 PM, Ying Chen <ying.in...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Hello all - >> >> I was renaming my partition in a table that I've created using the >> location clause, and noticed that when after rename is completed, my >> partition is moved to the hive warehouse (hive.metastore.warehouse.dir). >> I was wondering, what should be the correct behavior? Should the partition >> be renamed and maintain on the same file system, or no name change and not >> moved (so treating it like if someone declared external table) ? I don't >> think it should be moved to hive.metastore.warehouse.dir >> >> A similar JIRA was open for renaming table: >> https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/HIVE-14909 >> In which, if the table is determined not belonging to >> /apps/hive/warehouse (ie created by location clause), then table is not >> moved. >> >> Thanks much! >> Ying >> >> ========== >> This is a problem for Hive 2.1 ... >> >> create table test_local_part (col1 int) partitioned by (col2 int) >> location '/tmp/testtable/test_local_part'; >> insert into test_local_part partition (col2=1) values (1),(3); >> insert into test_local_part partition (col2=2) values (3); >> alter table test_local_part partition (col2='1') rename to partition >> (col2='4'); >> >> Running: >> describe formatted test_local_part partition (col2='2') >> >> # Detailed Partition Information >> Partition Value: [2] >> Database: default >> Table: test_local_part >> CreateTime: Mon Mar 20 13:25:28 PDT 2017 >> LastAccessTime: UNKNOWN >> Protect Mode: None >> Location: >> *hdfs://my.server.com:8020/tmp/testtable/test_local_part/col2=2 >> <http://my.server.com:8020/tmp/testtable/test_local_part/col2=2>* >> >> Running: >> describe formatted test_local_part partition (col2='4') >> >> # Detailed Partition Information >> Partition Value: [4] >> Database: default >> Table: test_local_part >> CreateTime: Mon Mar 20 13:24:53 PDT 2017 >> LastAccessTime: UNKNOWN >> Protect Mode: None >> Location: >> *hdfs://my.server.com:8020/apps/hive/warehouse/test_local_part/col2=4 >> <http://my.server.com:8020/apps/hive/warehouse/test_local_part/col2=4> * >> Partition Parameters: >> >> >> >> >
