MySQL SQLCODE 1160

Introduction

In MySQL, SQLCODE 1160 is an error code that is displayed when there are multiple trigger definitions for the same table and event. This error occurs when creating or altering a trigger in MySQL.

This article aims to explain what SQLCODE 1160 means, why it occurs, and how to resolve it. It will also provide code examples to illustrate the concepts.

Understanding SQLCODE 1160

SQLCODE 1160 is a specific error code generated by MySQL when there are conflicting trigger definitions for the same table and event. This error occurs when you try to create or alter a trigger and there is already an existing trigger with the same name and event.

Code Example

Let's consider an example to better understand SQLCODE 1160. Assume we have a table called employees with the following structure:

id name salary
1 John 5000
2 Alice 6000
3 Bob 5500

Now, let's create a trigger that will execute whenever a new row is inserted into the employees table:

CREATE TRIGGER trigger_name
AFTER INSERT ON employees
FOR EACH ROW
BEGIN
    -- Trigger logic here
    -- This trigger will execute after each insert into the employees table
END;

If we try to create another trigger with the same name and event, we will encounter SQLCODE 1160:

CREATE TRIGGER trigger_name
AFTER INSERT ON employees
FOR EACH ROW
BEGIN
    -- Trigger logic here
    -- This trigger will execute after each insert into the employees table
END;

This will result in the following error message:

ERROR 1160 (42000): Duplicate trigger name 'trigger_name'

Resolving SQLCODE 1160

To resolve SQLCODE 1160, you need to ensure that each trigger has a unique name for a specific table and event. You have two options:

1. Rename or modify the existing trigger

If you have an existing trigger with the same name and event, you can rename it or modify its definition to avoid the conflict.

For example, if you have a trigger named trigger_name for the AFTER INSERT event on the employees table, you can modify it as follows:

ALTER TRIGGER trigger_name
AFTER INSERT ON employees
FOR EACH ROW
BEGIN
    -- Modified trigger logic here
END;

Alternatively, you can rename the trigger to give it a unique name:

ALTER TRIGGER old_trigger_name RENAME TO new_trigger_name;

2. Drop the existing trigger

If the existing trigger is no longer needed or can be replaced, you can drop it before creating a new trigger with the same name and event.

To drop a trigger, you can use the following command:

DROP TRIGGER trigger_name;

Make sure to replace trigger_name with the actual name of the trigger you want to drop.

Conclusion

SQLCODE 1160 in MySQL indicates a duplicate trigger name error. This error occurs when there are multiple trigger definitions with the same name and event for a table. Understanding the cause of this error and utilizing the solutions provided above will help you resolve SQLCODE 1160 in your MySQL database.

Remember to always ensure each trigger has a unique name for a specific table and event to avoid conflicts.