Removes a location object from your Firebolt account. Be cautious when dropping a location that is referenced by external tables, as it may impact dependent objects. For a comprehensive guide to LOCATION objects, see LOCATION objects. Topics:

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Syntax

DROP LOCATION [IF EXISTS] <location_name> [WITH FORCE]

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Parameters

ParameterDescription
<location_name>The identifier of the location to remove.
IF EXISTSA parameter that suppresses the error if the location doesn’t exist.
WITH FORCEForces the removal of the location even if it has dependent external tables. Warning: This option invalidates all dependent external tables.

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Examples

Drop a location The following code example removes a LOCATION object from your Firebolt account: 
DROP LOCATION my_location
Drop IF EXISTS The following code example removes a LOCATION object from your Firebolt account if it exists: 
DROP LOCATION IF EXISTS my_location
Drop with FORCE Option If you attempt to drop a location that is referenced by an external table, the drop operation fails by default. You can do either of the following:
  1. Safe Approach: Drop all dependent external tables before dropping the location.
  2. Force Approach: Use the WITH FORCE option to drop the location immediately regardless of dependencies.
If you choose WITH FORCE, the following apply:
  • The location is deleted regardless of existing dependencies.
  • All external tables that reference the removed location become invalid.
  • Queries on any invalid tables will result in an error.
  • You must manually clean up the invalid external tables after using WITH FORCE.
The following code example deletes a LOCATION object from your Firebolt account without considering its dependencies: 
DROP LOCATION my_location WITH FORCE

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Error handling

The following table lists the types of errors that may occur during location removal:
Error TypeCauseResolution
Location Not Found or UnauthorizedThe specified location does not exist or you lack permission to access it.Use IF EXISTS to handle non-existent locations without error.
Dependent Objects ExistThe location is referenced by one or more external tables.Drop the dependent tables first or use WITH FORCE to bypass dependency checks.
Invalid External TableAttempting to query an external table after its location was removed using WITH FORCE.Drop the invalid external table.

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Best Practices

When dropping a location, consider the following:
  1. Before Dropping
    • Use IF EXISTS to handle non-existent locations gracefully.
    • Ensure no active queries are using the location.
    • Check for dependent external tables.
To identify external tables that depend on this location, execute the following query. 
SELECT * FROM information_schema.tables WHERE location_name = 'my_location_name'
  1. Using WITH FORCE
    • Use only when necessary.
    • Clean up invalid external tables immediately.
    • Document the reason for using this option.
  2. After Dropping
    • Verify all dependent objects are handled.
    • Update any scripts or documentation referencing the location.

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Notes

  • All identifiers are case-insensitive unless enclosed in double-quotes
  • For more information about object identifiers, see Object identifiers