sp_dropmergearticle (Transact-SQL)

Applies to: SQL Server

Removes an article from a merge publication. This stored procedure is executed at the Publisher on the publication database.

Transact-SQL syntax conventions

Syntax

sp_dropmergearticle
    [ @publication = ] N'publication'
    , [ @article = ] N'article'
    [ , [ @ignore_distributor = ] ignore_distributor ]
    [ , [ @reserved = ] reserved ]
    [ , [ @force_invalidate_snapshot = ] force_invalidate_snapshot ]
    [ , [ @force_reinit_subscription = ] force_reinit_subscription ]
    [ , [ @ignore_merge_metadata = ] ignore_merge_metadata ]
[ ; ]

Arguments

[ @publication = ] N'publication'

The name of the publication from which to drop an article. @publication is sysname, with no default.

[ @article = ] N'article'

The name of the article to drop from the given publication. @article is sysname, with no default. If all, all existing articles in the specified merge publication are removed. Even if @article is all, the publication still must be dropped separately from the article.

[ @ignore_distributor = ] ignore_distributor

Indicates whether this stored procedure is executed without connecting to the Distributor. @ignore_distributor is bit, with a default of 0.

[ @reserved = ] reserved

Reserved for future use. @reserved is bit, with a default of 0.

[ @force_invalidate_snapshot = ] force_invalidate_snapshot

Enables or disables the ability to have a snapshot invalidated. @force_invalidate_snapshot is bit, with a default of 0.

  • 0 specifies that changes to the merge article don't cause the snapshot to be invalid.

  • 1 means that changes to the merge article might cause the snapshot to be invalid, and if that is the case, a value of 1 gives permission for the new snapshot to occur.

[ @force_reinit_subscription = ] force_reinit_subscription

Acknowledges that dropping the article requires existing subscriptions to be reinitialized. @force_reinit_subscription is bit, with a default of 0.

  • 0 specifies that dropping the article doesn't cause the subscription to be reinitialized.

  • 1 means that dropping the article causes existing subscriptions to be reinitialized, and gives permission for the subscription reinitialization to occur.

[ @ignore_merge_metadata = ] ignore_merge_metadata

Identified for informational purposes only. Not supported. Future compatibility is not guaranteed.

Return code values

0 (success) or 1 (failure).

Remarks

sp_dropmergearticle is used in merge replication. For more information about dropping articles, see Add Articles to and Drop Articles from Existing Publications.

Executing sp_dropmergearticle to drop an article from a publication doesn't remove the object from the publication database or the corresponding object from the subscription database. Use DROP <object> to remove these objects manually if necessary.

Permissions

Only members of the sysadmin fixed server role or the db_owner fixed database role can execute sp_dropmergearticle.

Examples

This article requires the AdventureWorks2022 sample database, which you can download from the Microsoft SQL Server Samples and Community Projects home page.

A. Remove articles from a merge publication

USE [AdventureWorks2022];
GO

DECLARE @publication AS SYSNAME;
DECLARE @article1 AS SYSNAME;
DECLARE @article2 AS SYSNAME;

SET @publication = N'AdvWorksSalesOrdersMerge';
SET @article1 = N'SalesOrderDetail';
SET @article2 = N'SalesOrderHeader';

EXEC sp_dropmergearticle @publication = @publication,
    @article = @article1,
    @force_invalidate_snapshot = 1;

EXEC sp_dropmergearticle @publication = @publication,
    @article = @article2,
    @force_invalidate_snapshot = 1;
GO
USE [AdventureWorks2022];
GO

DECLARE @publication AS SYSNAME;
DECLARE @table1 AS SYSNAME;
DECLARE @table2 AS SYSNAME;
DECLARE @table3 AS SYSNAME;
DECLARE @salesschema AS SYSNAME;
DECLARE @hrschema AS SYSNAME;
DECLARE @filterclause AS NVARCHAR(1000);

SET @publication = N'AdvWorksSalesOrdersMerge';
SET @table1 = N'Employee';
SET @table2 = N'SalesOrderHeader';
SET @table3 = N'SalesOrderDetail';
SET @salesschema = N'Sales';
SET @hrschema = N'HumanResources';
SET @filterclause = N'Employee.LoginID = HOST_NAME()';

-- Drop the merge join filter between SalesOrderHeader and SalesOrderDetail.
EXEC sp_dropmergefilter @publication = @publication,
    @article = @table3,
    @filtername = N'SalesOrderDetail_SalesOrderHeader',
    @force_invalidate_snapshot = 1,
    @force_reinit_subscription = 1;

-- Drop the merge join filter between Employee and SalesOrderHeader.
EXEC sp_dropmergefilter @publication = @publication,
    @article = @table2,
    @filtername = N'SalesOrderHeader_Employee',
    @force_invalidate_snapshot = 1,
    @force_reinit_subscription = 1;

-- Drop the article for the SalesOrderDetail table.
EXEC sp_dropmergearticle @publication = @publication,
    @article = @table3,
    @force_invalidate_snapshot = 1,
    @force_reinit_subscription = 1;

-- Drop the article for the SalesOrderHeader table.
EXEC sp_dropmergearticle @publication = @publication,
    @article = @table2,
    @force_invalidate_snapshot = 1,
    @force_reinit_subscription = 1;

-- Drop the article for the Employee table.
EXEC sp_dropmergearticle @publication = @publication,
    @article = @table1,
    @force_invalidate_snapshot = 1,
    @force_reinit_subscription = 1;
GO