Could not select additional column names if dropped temporary table is created again with additional column names

Question

Though I have dropped the temporary table, it does not let me select the new column names if the temporary table with same table name with additional column names will be created.

I have been using SQL Server 2008.

Try this code for instance:

IF (object_id('tempdb..#xyz') IS NOT NULL)
    DROP TABLE #xyz;

CREATE TABLE #xyz(
     [a] [datetime] NULL,
     [b] [nvarchar](255) NULL,
     [c] [nvarchar](255) NULL
) ON [PRIMARY]
GO

IF (object_id('tempdb..#xyz') IS NOT NULL)
    DROP TABLE #xyz;

CREATE TABLE #xyz(
     [a] [datetime] NULL,
     [b] [nvarchar](255) NULL,
     [c] [nvarchar](255) NULL,
     [d] [nvarchar](255) NULL
) ON [PRIMARY]

SELECT [d] FROM  #xyz

This says:

Msg 207, Level 16, State 1, Line 13
Invalid column name 'd'.

Again, if we try like selecting * as mentioned by Martin Parkin, it gives result with column name d .

I could not select * for my dynamic columns and it doesn't let me to select additional columns.

Why?

Fiddle

Answer 1

You need GO to separate DROP and CREATE statements. They need to be in separate batches.

IF (object_id('tempdb..#xyz') IS NOT NULL)
DROP TABLE #xyz;

CREATE TABLE #xyz(
     [a] [datetime] NULL,
     [b] [nvarchar](255) NULL,
     [c] [nvarchar](255) NULL
) ON [PRIMARY]
GO

IF (object_id('tempdb..#xyz') IS NOT NULL)
DROP TABLE #xyz;

GO

CREATE TABLE #xyz(
     [a] [datetime] NULL,
     [b] [nvarchar](255) NULL,
     [c] [nvarchar](255) NULL,
     [d] [nvarchar](255) NULL
) ON [PRIMARY]

SELECT [d] FROM  #xyz