How to use dynamic regex to match value in Postgres - postgresql

Question

SUMMARY: I've two tables I want to derive info out of: family_values (family_name, item_regex) and product_ids (product_id) to be able to update the property family_name in a third.
Here the plan is to grab a json array from the small family_values table and use the column value item_regex to do a test match against the product_id for every row in product_ids.
MORE DETAILS: Importing static data from CSV to table of orders. But, in evaluating cost of goods and market value I'm needing to continuously determine family from a prefix regex (item_regex from family_values) match on the product_id.
On the client this looks like this:
const families = {
FOOBAR: 'Big Ogre',
FOOBA: 'Wood Elf',
FOO: 'Valkyrie'
};
// And to find family, and subsequently COGs and Market Value:
const findFamily = product_id => Object.keys(families).find(f => new RegExp('^' + f).test(product_id));
This is a huge hit for the client so I made a family_values table in PG to include a representative: family_name, item_regex, cogs, market_value.
Then, the product_ids has a list of only the products the app cares about (out of millions). This is actually used with an insert trigger 'on before' to ignore any CSV entries that aren't in the product_ids view. So, I guess after that the product_ids view could be taken out of the equation because the orders, after inserting readonly data, has its own matching product_id. It does NOT have family_name, so I still have the issue of determining that client-side.
PSUEDO CODE: update family column of orders with family_name from family_values regex match against orders.product_id
OR update the product_ids table with a new family column and use that with the existing on insert trigger (used to left pad zeros and normalize data right now). Now I'm thinking this may be just an update as suggested, but not real good with regex in PG. I'm a PG novice.
PROBLEM: But, I'm having a hangup in doing what I thought would be like a JS Array Find operation. The family_values have been sorted on the item_regex so that the most strict match would be on top, and therefor found first.
For example, with sorting we have:
family_values_array = [
{"family_name": "Big Ogre", "item_regex": "FOOBAR"},
{"family_name": "Wood Elf", "item_regex": "FOOBA"},
{"family_name": "Valkyrie", "item_regex": "FOO"}]
So, that the comparison of product_id of ^FOOBA would yield family "Wood Elf".
SOLUTION:
The solution I finally came about using was simply using concat to write out the front-anchored regex. It was so simple in the end. The key line I was missing is:
select * into family_value_row from iol.family_values
where lvl3_id = product_row.lvl3_id and product_row.product_id
like concat(item_regex, '%') limit 1;
Whole function:
create or replace function iol.populate_families () returns void as $$
declare
product_row record;
family_value_row record;
begin
for product_row in
select product_id, lvl3_id from iol.products
loop
-- family_name is what we want after finding the BEST match fr a product_id against item_regex
select * into family_value_row from iol.family_values
where lvl3_id = product_row.lvl3_id and product_row.product_id like concat(item_regex, '%') limit 1;
-- update family_name and value columns
update iol.products set
family_name = family_value_row.family_name,
cog_cents = family_value_row.cog_cents,
market_value_cents = family_value_row.market_value_cents
where product_id = product_row.product_id;
end loop;
end;
$$
LANGUAGE plpgsql;

Answer 1

Use concat as updated above:
select * into family_value_row from iol.family_values
where lvl3_id = product_row.lvl3_id and product_row.product_id
like concat(item_regex, '%') limit 1;