Error altering primary key column in mysql table

Question

I am very new to SQL and MySQL. I am trying to modify a primary key column in a table so that it auto-increments. This primary key is also a foreign key in another table. I am not able to modify this column due to an error related to the foreign key in the other table. Here is the error:

mysql> desc favourite_food;
+-----------+----------------------+------+-----+---------+-------+
| Field     | Type                 | Null | Key | Default | Extra |
+-----------+----------------------+------+-----+---------+-------+
| person_id | smallint(5) unsigned | NO   | PRI | 0       |       |
| food      | varchar(20)          | NO   | PRI |         |       |
+-----------+----------------------+------+-----+---------+-------+
2 rows in set (0.09 sec)

mysql> alter table person modify person_id smallint unsigned auto_increment;
ERROR 2006 (HY000): MySQL server has gone away
No connection. Trying to reconnect...
Connection id:    22
Current database: bank

ERROR 1833 (HY000): Cannot change column 'person_id': used in a foreign key cons
traint 'fk_fav_food_person_id' of table 'bank.favourite_food'
mysql>

I'm sure it is something simple, but I can't figure out why and teh book I am following does not indicate why. Thanks.

Answer 1

Do it something like this

--Drop fk
ALTER TABLE favourite_food DROP FOREIGN KEY fk_fav_food_person_id;
--Alter your pk
ALTER TABLE person modify person_id smallint unsigned auto_increment;
--Recreate fk
ALTER TABLE favourite_food ADD CONSTRAINT fk_fav_food_person_id FOREIGN KEY (person_id) REFERENCES person (person_id) ON DELETE CASCADE;

Haven't checked syntax exactly, but should be close