How do I access SQL column default value via JDBC DatabaseMetaData in Database Toolbox v3.10 (R2011b)?

I have a certain SQL table. I would like to access the metadata to determine if a particular column has a default value or not.

I use the following method.

% Define JDBC driver & URL:

>>driver = 'com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerDriver';

>>URL = 'jdbc:sqlserver://localhost:1433;database=TickerData;integratedSecurity=true;';

% Connect to database:

>>db = database('TickerInfo','','',driver,URL);

% Get MATLAB metadata object:

>>dbmeta = dmd(db)

dbmeta =

      DMDHandle: [1x1 com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerDatabaseMetaData]

% Access Java object within (dbmeta) & call getColumns() method.

% It's known that table 'Ticker' has a column 'isThisRecordActive' which has a default value of (1).

>> dbmeta.DMDHandle.getColumns('','','Ticker','isThisRecordActive')

ans =

   SQLServerDatabaseMetaData:3

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

Accessing default values using SQL is not possible using Database toolbox directly.

As a workaround, it is possible to use documented java.sql calls with a simple Java class file called databaseUtils.java.

It has to be compiled with

javac databaseUtils.java –Xlint:unchecked

with the –Xlint flag to get around the warning.

You will need to add the directory where databaseUtils.class lives with the JAVAADDPATH command in MATLAB, for example

javaaddpath c:\

You can access the column default values using the following syntax:

b = databaseUtils;

b.dmdColumns(db.DMDHandle,'dwmart','dbo'); % where db is the database used.