How do I declare a variable for use in a PostgreSQL 8.3 query?
In MS SQL Server I can do this:
DECLARE #myvar INT
SET #myvar = 5
SELECT *
FROM somewhere
WHERE something = #myvar
How do I do the same in PostgreSQL? According to the documentation variables are declared simply as "name type;", but this gives me a syntax error:
myvar INTEGER;
Could someone give me an example of the correct syntax?
I accomplished the same goal by using a WITH clause, it's nowhere near as elegant but can do the same thing. Though for this example it's really overkill. I also don't particularly recommend this.
WITH myconstants (var1, var2) as (
values (5, 'foo')
)
SELECT *
FROM somewhere, myconstants
WHERE something = var1
OR something_else = var2;
There is no such feature in PostgreSQL. You can do it only in pl/PgSQL (or other pl/*), but not in plain SQL.
An exception is WITH () query which can work as a variable, or even tuple of variables. It allows you to return a table of temporary values.
WITH master_user AS (
SELECT
login,
registration_date
FROM users
WHERE ...
)
SELECT *
FROM users
WHERE master_login = (SELECT login
FROM master_user)
AND (SELECT registration_date
FROM master_user) > ...;
You could also try this in PLPGSQL:
DO $$
DECLARE myvar integer;
BEGIN
SELECT 5 INTO myvar;
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS tmp_table;
CREATE TABLE tmp_table AS
SELECT * FROM yourtable WHERE id = myvar;
END $$;
SELECT * FROM tmp_table;
The above requires Postgres 9.0 or later.
Dynamic Config Settings
you can "abuse" dynamic config settings for this:
-- choose some prefix that is unlikely to be used by postgres
set session my.vars.id = '1';
select *
from person
where id = current_setting('my.vars.id')::int;
Config settings are always varchar values, so you need to cast them to the correct data type when using them. This works with any SQL client whereas \set only works in psql
The above requires Postgres 9.2 or later.
For previous versions, the variable had to be declared in postgresql.conf prior to being used, so it limited its usability somewhat. Actually not the variable completely, but the config "class" which is essentially the prefix. But once the prefix was defined, any variable could be used without changing postgresql.conf
It depends on your client.
However, if you're using the psql client, then you can use the following:
my_db=> \set myvar 5
my_db=> SELECT :myvar + 1 AS my_var_plus_1;
my_var_plus_1
---------------
6
If you are using text variables you need to quote.
\set myvar 'sometextvalue'
select * from sometable where name = :'myvar';
This solution is based on the one proposed by fei0x but it has the advantages that there is no need to join the value list of constants in the query and constants can be easily listed at the start of the query. It also works in recursive queries.
Basically, every constant is a single-value table declared in a WITH clause which can then be called anywhere in the remaining part of the query.
Basic example with two constants:
WITH
constant_1_str AS (VALUES ('Hello World')),
constant_2_int AS (VALUES (100))
SELECT *
FROM some_table
WHERE table_column = (table constant_1_str)
LIMIT (table constant_2_int)
Alternatively you can use SELECT * FROM constant_name instead of TABLE constant_name which might not be valid for other query languages different to postgresql.
Using a Temp Table outside of pl/PgSQL
Outside of using pl/pgsql or other pl/* language as suggested, this is the only other possibility I could think of.
begin;
select 5::int as var into temp table myvar;
select *
from somewhere s, myvar v
where s.something = v.var;
commit;
I want to propose an improvement to #DarioBarrionuevo's answer, to make it simpler leveraging temporary tables.
DO $$
DECLARE myvar integer = 5;
BEGIN
CREATE TEMP TABLE tmp_table ON COMMIT DROP AS
-- put here your query with variables:
SELECT *
FROM yourtable
WHERE id = myvar;
END $$;
SELECT * FROM tmp_table;
True, there is no vivid and unambiguous way to declare a single-value variable, what you can do is
with myVar as (select "any value really")
then, to get access to the value stored in this construction, you do
(select * from myVar)
for example
with var as (select 123)
... where id = (select * from var)
You may resort to tool special features. Like for DBeaver own proprietary syntax:
#set name = 'me'
SELECT :name;
SELECT ${name};
DELETE FROM book b
WHERE b.author_id IN (SELECT a.id FROM author AS a WHERE a.name = :name);
As you will have gathered from the other answers, PostgreSQL doesn’t have this mechanism in straight SQL, though you can now use an anonymous block. However, you can do something similar with a Common Table Expression (CTE):
WITH vars AS (
SELECT 5 AS myvar
)
SELECT *
FROM somewhere,vars
WHERE something = vars.myvar;
You can, of course, have as many variables as you like, and they can also be derived. For example:
WITH vars AS (
SELECT
'1980-01-01'::date AS start,
'1999-12-31'::date AS end,
(SELECT avg(height) FROM customers) AS avg_height
)
SELECT *
FROM customers,vars
WHERE (dob BETWEEN vars.start AND vars.end) AND height<vars.avg_height;
The process is:
Generate a one-row cte using SELECT without a table (in Oracle you will need to include FROM DUAL).
CROSS JOIN the cte with the other table. Although there is a CROSS JOIN syntax, the older comma syntax is slightly more readable.
Note that I have cast the dates to avoid possible issues in the SELECT clause. I used PostgreSQL’s shorter syntax, but you could have used the more formal CAST('1980-01-01' AS date) for cross-dialect compatibility.
Normally, you want to avoid cross joins, but since you’re only cross joining a single row, this has the effect of simply widening the table with the variable data.
In many cases, you don’t need to include the vars. prefix if the names don’t clash with the names in the other table. I include it here to make the point clear.
Also, you can go on to add more CTEs.
This also works in all current versions of MSSQL and MySQL, which do support variables, as well as SQLite which doesn’t, and Oracle which sort of does and sort of doesn’t.
Here is an example using PREPARE statements. You still can't use ?, but you can use $n notation:
PREPARE foo(integer) AS
SELECT *
FROM somewhere
WHERE something = $1;
EXECUTE foo(5);
DEALLOCATE foo;
In DBeaver you can use parameters in queries just like you can from code, so this will work:
SELECT *
FROM somewhere
WHERE something = :myvar
When you run the query DBeaver will ask you for the value for :myvar and run the query.
Here is a code segment using plain variable in postges terminal. I have used it a few times. But need to figure a better way. Here I am working with string variable. Working with integer variable, you don't need the triple quote. Triple quote becomes single quote at query time; otherwise you got syntax error. There might be a way to eliminate the need of triple quote when working with string variables. Please update if you find a way to improve.
\set strainname '''B.1.1.7'''
select *
from covid19strain
where name = :strainname ;
In psql, you can use these 'variables' as macros. Note that they get "evaluated" every time they are used, rather than at the time that they are "set".
Simple example:
\set my_random '(SELECT random())'
select :my_random; -- gives 0.23330629315990592
select :my_random; -- gives 0.67458399344433542
this gives two different answers each time.
However, you can still use these as a valuable shorthand to avoid repeating lots of subselects.
\set the_id '(SELECT id FROM table_1 WHERE name = ''xxx'' LIMIT 1)'
and then use it in your queries later as
:the_id
e.g.
INSERT INTO table2 (table1_id,x,y,z) VALUES (:the_id, 1,2,3)
Note you have to double-quote the strings in the variables, because the whole thing is then string-interpolated (i.e. macro-expanded) into your query.
I am trying to do the postgresql equivalent of mysql select * from table on a postgresql specific database. I can find the name of the table I need within that database when I do:
SELECT table_name FROM information_schema.tables WHERE table_schema = 'public';
But when I try a select all on the table, I get:
SELECT * from Sample;
SELECT * from Sample;
ERROR: relation "sample" does not exist
LINE 1: SELECT * from Sample;
^
Any ideas?
Postgresql is case sensitive.
I usually use all lower char for field, tables and functions.
Anyway, you can double quote them.
To full answer your question and see why and when useing quote, i suggest to read this specific section:
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/interactive/sql-syntax-lexical.html#SQL-SYNTAX-IDENTIFIERS
The manes of the tables are stored in information_schema.tables so you have to see your table by using select * from information_schema.tables. IF your table_schema is "public"
try for a table select select * from public.sample, is your table_schema a differed schema chance it to the right one.
this link will help you Psotgresql doc
I tried single-quoting 'Sample' and it didn't work. Fixed by double-quoting "Sample".
Not sure whether this is possible and what's the best way to do it, but I have a list of values (say it is 'ACBC', 'ADFC', 'AGGD' etc.) which grows over time. I want to use these values in pgADmin as a sort of variable/parameter for SQL statements; e.g:
Codes = {'ACBC', 'ADFC', 'AGGD'}
SQL: Statement => SELECT * FROM xxx WHERE SUBSTRING IN (Codes)
Is that somehow realizable, either with a variable, parameter, function or anyhing else?
I can think of the following options:
1) Create separate table
create table qry_params(prm_value varchar);
insert into qry_params values
('xxx'),
('yyy'),
('zzz');
select * from xxx where substring in (select prm_value from qry_params)
Whenever you have new parameter, you just need to add it to the table.
2) CTE at the top of query
Use query like:
with params (prm_value) as (select values ('xxx'), ('yyy'), ('zzz'))
select * from xxx where substring in (select prm_value from qry_params)
Whenever you have new parameter, you just need to add it to the CTE.
We've got a system (MS SQL 2008 R2-based) that has a number of "input" database and a one "output" database. I'd like to write a query that will read from the output DB, and JOIN it to data in one of the source DB. However, the source table may be one or more individual tables :( The name of the source DB is included in the output DB; ideally, I'd like to do something like the following (pseudo-SQL ahoy)
select o.[UID]
,o.[description]
,i.[data]
from [output].dbo.[description] as o
left join (select [UID]
,[data]
from
[output.sourcedb].dbo.datatable
) as i
on i.[UID] = o.[UID];
Is there any way to do something like the above - "dynamically" specify the database and table to be joined on for each row in the query?
Try using the exec function, then specify the select as a string, adding variables for database names and tables where appropriate. Simple example:
DECLARE #dbName VARCHAR(255), #tableName VARCHAR(255), #colName VARCHAR(255)
...
EXEC('SELECT * FROM ' + #dbName + '.dbo.' + #tableName + ' WHERE ' + #colName + ' = 1')
No, the table must be known at the time you prepare the query. Otherwise how would the query optimizer know what indexes it might be able to use? Or if the table you reference even has an UID column?
You'll have to do this in stages:
Fetch the sourcedb value from your output database in one query.
Build an SQL query string, interpolating the value you fetched in the first query into the FROM clause of the second query.
Be careful to check that this value contains a legitimate database name. For instance, filter out non-alpha characters or apply a regular expression or look it up in a whitelist. Otherwise you're exposing yourself to a SQL Injection risk.
Execute the new SQL string you built with exec() as #user353852 suggests.
I have a problem where I need to remove all code and triggers from a database that relate to certain tables in order for a Solaris package to install. Long complicated story but I need
to start with a clean slate.
I've managed to remove all the existing tables/synonyms, but how to locate the code/triggers from sqlplus that is related?
Unfortunately, it's not feasible to drop the database and recreate it.
Well, it turns out all the table names are prefixed with my module name DAP.
So, to find all the table names and public synonyms with sqlplus:
select table_name from all_tables where table_name like 'DAP%';
select synonym_name from all_synonyms where table_name like 'DAP%';
To get a list of triggers and sequences
select trigger_name from all_triggers where table_name like 'DAP%';
select sequence_name from all_sequences where sequence_name like 'DAP%';
To get a list of all the constraints
select table_name, constraint_name from all_constraints where table_name like 'DAP%';
To get the DAP related code:
select text from dba_source where name like 'DAP%';
I can now write a script that drops everything.
You should be able to query the system table ALL_TRIGGERS to find the triggers. It has a table_name column. You can probably find the other related objects with different system tables (been awhile since I've messed with Oracle).
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14237/statviews_2107.htm