---
type: concept
x-llmwiki:
  schemaVersion: "0.1"
  contentHash: be8eeeb5d14ad5e2ceae177222832b9ffee2482ae33b87e7354206b48372a6e4
  pageDirectory: concepts
  sources:
    - generate-databricks-on-aws.md
  confidence: 0.9
  provenanceState: extracted
  freshnessStatus: unverified
  aliases:
    - generate-syntax-constraints-on-delta-table-names
    - GSCODTN
  citations:
    - file: generate-databricks-on-aws.md
title: GENERATE Syntax Constraints on Delta Table Names
description: When using the GENERATE command, the table name must not include temporal specifications or options specifications.
tags:
  - delta-lake
  - sql
  - syntax
timestamp: "2026-06-19T18:57:42.893Z"
---

#GENERATE Syntax Constraints on Delta Table Names

The `GENERATE` statement in Databricks SQL creates manifest files for a Delta table. When specifying the target table, the syntax imposes strict constraints on the form of the `table_name` identifier. These constraints ensure that the command operates on a concrete, existing Delta table without any ambiguity introduced by time‑travel or option specifications. ^[generate-databricks-on-aws.md]

## Syntax

```sql
GENERATE mode FOR TABLE table_name
```

The only supported mode at this time is `symlink_format_manifest`, which generates manifest files that can be consumed by Presto and Athena. ^[generate-databricks-on-aws.md]

## Constraint on `table_name`

The key constraint is that `table_name` **must not include a temporal specification or options specification**. ^[generate-databricks-on-aws.md]

In Databricks SQL, table names can optionally be followed by temporal specifications (e.g., `@v123` or `TIMESTAMP AS OF ...`) or options specifications (e.g., `WITH (key = 'value')`) to refer to a specific version or configure read options. The `GENERATE` command explicitly forbids these qualifiers. The table name must identify a single, current Delta table by its catalog, schema, and table name only. ^[generate-databricks-on-aws.md]

### Why the constraint exists

Manifest files represent a snapshot of the current state of a Delta table. Allowing temporal specifications would create ambiguity about which version’s manifest to generate, and options specifications are irrelevant to the manifest generation process, which always reads the latest table state and produces a consistent set of symlink files. By restricting the name to a plain reference, the command guarantees deterministic behavior and avoids misinterpretation. ^[generate-databricks-on-aws.md]

## Additional requirements

The table identified by `table_name` must be an existing Delta table. The command will fail if the table does not exist or is not a Delta table. ^[generate-databricks-on-aws.md]

## Example

```sql
GENERATE symlink_format_manifest FOR TABLE my_catalog.my_schema.my_table;
```

The above is valid because `my_catalog.my_schema.my_table` contains no temporal or options modifier. ^[generate-databricks-on-aws.md]

```sql
-- Invalid: includes a temporal specification
GENERATE symlink_format_manifest FOR TABLE my_table TIMESTAMP AS OF '2024-01-01';
```

This query would be rejected because the `TIMESTAMP AS OF` clause is a temporal specification, which is not allowed in the `GENERATE` syntax. ^[generate-databricks-on-aws.md]

## Related Concepts

- [Delta table](/concepts/delta-lake-table.md) — The table type that can be targeted by `GENERATE`.
- [Manifest file](/concepts/delta-lake-manifest-files.md) — The output file generated by `GENERATE symlink_format_manifest`.
- Presto and Athena — Query engines that can read the generated manifest files.
- [Delta Lake statements](/concepts/delta-lake-dml-operations.md) — Other DDL and DML statements for managing Delta Lake tables.
- Temporal specification — A syntax element that is forbidden in this context.

## Sources

- generate-databricks-on-aws.md

# Citations

1. [generate-databricks-on-aws.md](/references/generate-databricks-on-aws-7753d696.md)
