TableDefinition<T> createTableIfRequired(Db db) {
    if (!createTableIfRequired) {
      // skip table and index creation
      // but still check for upgrades
      db.upgradeTable(this);
      return this;
    }
    SQLDialect dialect = db.getDialect();
    SQLStatement stat = new SQLStatement(db);
    StatementBuilder buff;
    if (memoryTable && dialect.supportsMemoryTables()) {
      buff = new StatementBuilder("CREATE MEMORY TABLE IF NOT EXISTS ");
    } else {
      buff = new StatementBuilder("CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS ");
    }

    buff.append(dialect.getTableName(schemaName, tableName)).append('(');

    for (FieldDefinition field : fields) {
      buff.appendExceptFirst(", ");
      buff.append(field.columnName).append(' ').append(field.dataType);
      if (field.maxLength > 0) {
        buff.append('(').append(field.maxLength).append(')');
      }

      if (field.isAutoIncrement) {
        buff.append(" AUTO_INCREMENT");
      }

      if (!field.allowNull) {
        buff.append(" NOT NULL");
      }

      // default values
      if (!field.isAutoIncrement && !field.isPrimaryKey) {
        String dv = field.defaultValue;
        if (!StringUtils.isNullOrEmpty(dv)) {
          if (ModelUtils.isProperlyFormattedDefaultValue(dv)
              && ModelUtils.isValidDefaultValue(field.field.getType(), dv)) {
            buff.append(" DEFAULT " + dv);
          }
        }
      }
    }

    // primary key
    if (primaryKeyColumnNames != null && primaryKeyColumnNames.size() > 0) {
      buff.append(", PRIMARY KEY(");
      buff.resetCount();
      for (String n : primaryKeyColumnNames) {
        buff.appendExceptFirst(", ");
        buff.append(n);
      }
      buff.append(')');
    }
    buff.append(')');
    stat.setSQL(buff.toString());
    StatementLogger.create(stat.getSQL());
    stat.executeUpdate();

    // create indexes
    for (IndexDefinition index : indexes) {
      String sql = db.getDialect().getCreateIndex(schemaName, tableName, index);
      stat.setSQL(sql);
      StatementLogger.create(stat.getSQL());
      stat.executeUpdate();
    }

    // tables are created using IF NOT EXISTS
    // but we may still need to upgrade
    db.upgradeTable(this);
    return this;
  }