-- base table with null data DROP TABLE IF EXISTS base_tab; CREATE TABLE base_tab(a STRING, b STRING, c STRING, d STRING) STORED AS TEXTFILE; LOAD DATA LOCAL INPATH '../../data/files/null.txt' INTO TABLE base_tab; DESCRIBE EXTENDED base_tab; -- table with non-default null format DROP TABLE IF EXISTS null_tab3; EXPLAIN CREATE TABLE null_tab3 ROW FORMAT DELIMITED NULL DEFINED AS 'fooNull' AS SELECT a, b FROM base_tab; CREATE TABLE null_tab3 ROW FORMAT DELIMITED NULL DEFINED AS 'fooNull' AS SELECT a, b FROM base_tab; DESCRIBE EXTENDED null_tab3; SHOW CREATE TABLE null_tab3; dfs -cat ${system:test.warehouse.dir}/null_tab3/*; SELECT * FROM null_tab3; -- alter the null format and verify that the old null format is no longer in effect ALTER TABLE null_tab3 SET SERDEPROPERTIES ( 'serialization.null.format'='foo'); SELECT * FROM null_tab3; DROP TABLE null_tab3; DROP TABLE base_tab;