Rename a column in mysql table without having to repeat its type definition

Question

Is it possible to rename a column in MySQL without having to repeat its type definition?

Please without having to hack into information_schema.

Answer 1

The ALTER TABLE syntax does not seem to offer such possibility:

ALTER [ONLINE | OFFLINE] [IGNORE] TABLE tbl_name
    [alter_specification [, alter_specification] ...]
    [partition_options]

ALTER [ONLINE | OFFLINE] [IGNORE] TABLE tbl_name
    partition_options

alter_specification:
    table_options
[...]
  | CHANGE [COLUMN] old_col_name new_col_name column_definition
        [FIRST|AFTER col_name]
  | MODIFY [COLUMN] col_name column_definition
        [FIRST | AFTER col_name]
[...]

More specifically:

When you use CHANGE or MODIFY, column_definition must include the data type and all attributes that should apply to the new column, other than index attributes such as PRIMARY KEY or UNIQUE. Attributes present in the original definition but not specified for the new definition are not carried forward.