Hive: how to set tables read-only and DROP them

Set table read-only: PROTECT_MODE = NO_DROP

--- Set table read-only --- ALTER TABLE testdb.sometable  SET TBLPROPERTIES ('PROTECT_MODE' = 'NO_DROP');   --- Attempt to drop read-only table  --- hive (TESTDB)> DROP TABLE testdb.sometable; FAILED: Execution Error, return code 1 from org.apache.hadoop.hive.ql.exec.DDLTask. Table testdb.sometable is protected from being dropped

DROP read-only tables: PROTECT_MODE = NONE

--- Unset table read-only --- ALTER TABLE testdb.sometable  SET TBLPROPERTIES ('PROTECT_MODE' = 'NONE');   --- Then drop to bypass .Trash --- hive (TESTDB)> DROP TABLE testdb.sometable PURGE; OK Time taken: 0.067 seconds