Overview Function Basics By Example

PostgreSQL Functions By Example

Joe Conway joe.conway@credativ.com
credativ Group

January 20, 2012

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Overview Function Basics By Example

Introduction Uses Varieties Languages

What are Functions?

Full edged SQL objects Many other database objects are implemented with them Fundamental part of PostgreSQLs system architecture Created with CREATE FUNCTION Executed through normal SQL
target-list: SELECT myfunc(f1) FROM foo; FROM clause: SELECT * FROM myfunc(); WHERE clause: SELECT * FROM foo WHERE myfunc(f1) = 42;

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Overview Function Basics By Example

Introduction Uses Varieties Languages

How are they Used?

Functions Operators Data types Index methods Casts Triggers Aggregates

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Overview Function Basics By Example

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What Forms Can They Take?

PostgreSQL provides four kinds of functions:
SQL Procedural Languages Internal C-language

Arguments
Base, composite, or combinations Scalar or array Pseudo or polymorphic VARIADIC IN/OUT/INOUT

Return
Singleton or set (SETOF) Base or composite type Pseudo or polymorphic
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/interactive/sql-createfunction.html Joe Conway SCALE10X-PGDay

Overview Function Basics By Example

Introduction Uses Varieties Languages

SQL Functions
Behavior
Executes an arbitrary list of SQL statements separated by semicolons Last statement may be INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE with RETURNING clause

Arguments
Referenced by function body using $n: $1 is rst arg, etc. . . If composite type, then dot notation $1.name used to access Only used as data values, not as identiers

Return
If singleton, rst row of last query result returned, NULL on no result If SETOF, all rows of last query result returned, empty set on no result
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/interactive/xfunc-sql.html Joe Conway SCALE10X-PGDay

Overview Function Basics By Example

Introduction Uses Varieties Languages

Procedural Languages

User-dened functions Written in languages besides SQL and C

Task is passed to a special handler that knows the details of the language Handler could be self-contained (e.g. PL/pgSQL) Handler could be dynamically loaded (e.g. PL/Perl)
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/interactive/xplang.html

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Overview Function Basics By Example

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Internal Functions

Statically linked C functions

Could use CREATE FUNCTION to create additional alias names for an internal function Most internal functions expect to be declared STRICT
CREATE FUNCTION square_root(double precision) RETURNS double precision AS dsqrt LANGUAGE internal STRICT;

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/interactive/xfunc-internal.html

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Overview Function Basics By Example

Introduction Uses Varieties Languages

C Language Functions

User-dened functions written in C

Compiled into dynamically loadable objects (also called shared libraries) Loaded by the server on demand contrib is good source of examples Same as internal function coding conventions Require PG MODULE MAGIC call Needs separate topic
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/interactive/xfunc-c.html

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Overview Function Basics By Example

Introduction Uses Varieties Languages

Language Availability
PostgreSQL includes the following server-side procedural languages:
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/interactive/xplang.html

PL/pgSQL Perl Python Tcl

Other languages available:

http://pgfoundry.org/softwaremap/trove_list.php?form_cat=311

Java PHP Ruby R Shell others . . .

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Overview Function Basics By Example

Creation Attributes

Creating New Functions

CREATE [ OR REPLACE ] FUNCTION name ( [ [ argmode ] [ argname ] argtype [ { DEFAULT | = } defexpr ] [, ... [ RETURNS rettype | RETURNS TABLE ( colname coltype [, ...] ) ] { LANGUAGE langname | WINDOW | IMMUTABLE | STABLE | VOLATILE | CALLED ON NULL INPUT | RETURNS NULL ON NULL INPUT | STRICT | [ EXTERNAL ] SECURITY INVOKER | [ EXTERNAL ] SECURITY DEFINER | COST execution_cost | ROWS result_rows | SET configuration_parameter { TO value | = value | FROM CURRENT } | AS definition | AS obj_file, link_symbol } ... [ WITH ( attribute [, ...] ) ]

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/interactive/sql-createfunction.html Joe Conway SCALE10X-PGDay

Overview Function Basics By Example

Creation Attributes

Dollar Quoting
Works for all character strings Particularly useful for function bodies
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION dummy () RETURNS text AS $Q$ DECLARE result text; BEGIN PERFORM SELECT 1+1; RETURN ok; END; $Q$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/static/sql-syntax-lexical.html#SQL-SYNTAX-DOLLAR-QUOTING

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Overview Function Basics By Example

Creation Attributes

Function Overloading
IN argument signature used Avoid ambiguities:
Type (e.g. REAL vs. DOUBLE PRECISION) Function name same as IN composite eld name VARIADIC vs same type scalar
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION foo (text) RETURNS text AS $$ SELECT $1 $$ LANGUAGE sql; CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION foo (int) RETURNS text AS $$ SELECT ($1 + 1)::text $$ LANGUAGE sql; SELECT foo(42), foo(41); foo | foo -----+----42 | 42 (1 row)

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Overview Function Basics By Example

Creation Attributes

Changing Existing Functions

Once created, dependent objects may be created Must do DROP FUNCTION ... CASCADE to recreate Or use OR REPLACE to avoid dropping dependent objects Very useful for large dependency tree Cant be used in some circumstances (must drop/recreate instead). You cannot:
change function name or argument types change return type change types of any OUT parameters
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION ...;

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Overview Function Basics By Example

Creation Attributes

Volatility
VOLATILE (default)
Each call can return a dierent result Example: random() or timeofday() Functions modifying table contents must be declared volatile

STABLE
Returns same result for same arguments within single query Example: now() Consider conguration settings that aect output

IMMUTABLE
Always returns the same result for the same arguments Example: lower(ABC) Unaected by conguration settings Not dependent on table contents
select lower(ABC), now(), timeofday() from generate_series(1,3);

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Overview Function Basics By Example

Creation Attributes

Behavior with Null Input Values

CALLED ON NULL INPUT (default)
Function called normally with the null input values

RETURNS NULL ON NULL INPUT

Function not called when null input values are present Instead, null is returned automatically
CREATE FUNCTION sum1 (int, int) RETURNS int AS $$ SELECT $1 + $2 $$ LANGUAGE SQL RETURNS NULL ON NULL INPUT; CREATE FUNCTION sum2 (int, int) RETURNS int AS $$ SELECT COALESCE($1, 0) + COALESCE($2, 0) $$ LANGUAGE SQL CALLED ON NULL INPUT; SELECT sum1(9, NULL) IS NULL AS "true", sum2(9, NULL); true | sum2 ------+-----t | 9 (1 row)

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Overview Function Basics By Example

Creation Attributes

Security Attributes
SECURITY INVOKER (default)
Function executed with the rights of the current user

SECURITY DEFINER
Executed with rights of creator, like setuid
CREATE TABLE foo (f1 int); REVOKE ALL ON foo FROM public; CREATE FUNCTION see_foo() RETURNS SETOF foo AS $$ SELECT * FROM foo $$ LANGUAGE SQL SECURITY DEFINER; \c - guest You are now connected to database "postgres" as user "guest". SELECT * FROM foo; ERROR: permission denied for relation foo SELECT * FROM see_foo(); f1 ---(0 rows)

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Overview Function Basics By Example

SQL Functions PL/pgSQL Functions

Simple

CREATE FUNCTION sum (text, text) RETURNS text AS $$ SELECT $1 || || $2 $$ LANGUAGE SQL; SELECT sum(hello, world); sum ------------hello world (1 row)

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Custom Operator

CREATE OPERATOR + ( procedure = sum, leftarg = text, rightarg = text ); SELECT hello + world; ?column? ------------hello world (1 row)

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Overview Function Basics By Example

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Custom Aggregate

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION concat_ws_comma(text, ANYELEMENT) RETURNS text AS $$ SELECT concat_ws(,, $1, $2) $$ LANGUAGE sql; CREATE AGGREGATE str_agg (ANYELEMENT) ( sfunc = concat_ws_comma, stype = text); SELECT str_agg(f1) FROM foo; str_agg --------41,42 (1 row)

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SETOF with OUT Arguments

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION sql_with_rows(OUT a int, OUT b text) RETURNS SETOF RECORD AS $$ values (1,a),(2,b) $$ LANGUAGE SQL; select * from sql_with_rows(); a | b ---+--1 | a 2 | b (2 rows)

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INSERT RETURNING

CREATE TABLE foo (f0 serial, f1 int, f2 text); CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION sql_insert_returning(INOUT f1 int, INOUT f2 text, OUT id int) AS $$ INSERT INTO foo(f1, f2) VALUES ($1,$2) RETURNING f1, f2, f0 $$ LANGUAGE SQL; SELECT * FROM sql_insert_returning(1,a); f1 | f2 | id ----+----+---1 | a | 1 (1 row)

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Composite Argument

CREATE TABLE emp (name salary age cubicle

text, numeric, integer, point);

CREATE FUNCTION double_salary(emp) RETURNS numeric AS $$ SELECT $1.salary * 2 AS salary; $$ LANGUAGE SQL; SELECT name, double_salary(emp.*) AS dream FROM emp WHERE emp.cubicle ~= point (2,1); SELECT name, double_salary(ROW(name, salary*1.1, age, cubicle)) AS dream FROM emp;

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Polymorphic

CREATE FUNCTION myappend(anyarray, anyelement) RETURNS anyarray AS $$ SELECT $1 || $2; $$ LANGUAGE SQL; SELECT myappend(ARRAY[42,6], 21), myappend(ARRAY[abc,def], xyz); myappend | myappend -----------+--------------{42,6,21} | {abc,def,xyz} (1 row)

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Target List versus FROM Clause

CREATE FUNCTION new_emp() RETURNS emp AS $$ SELECT ROW(None, 1000.0, 25, (2,2))::emp; $$ LANGUAGE SQL; SELECT new_emp(); new_emp -------------------------(None,1000.0,25,"(2,2)") SELECT * FROM new_emp(); name | salary | age | cubicle ------+--------+-----+--------None | 1000.0 | 25 | (2,2) SELECT (new_emp()).name; name -----None

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VARIADIC

CREATE FUNCTION mleast(VARIADIC numeric[]) RETURNS numeric AS $$ SELECT min($1[i]) FROM generate_subscripts($1, 1) g(i); $$ LANGUAGE SQL; SELECT mleast(10, -1, 5, 4.4); mleast --------1 (1 row) SELECT mleast(42, 6, 42.42); mleast -------6 (1 row)

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DEFAULT Arguments

CREATE FUNCTION foo(a int, b int DEFAULT 2, c int DEFAULT 3) RETURNS int LANGUAGE SQL AS $$SELECT $1 + $2 + $3$$; SELECT foo(10, 20, 30); foo ----60 (1 row) SELECT foo(10, 20); foo ----33 (1 row)

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PL/pgSQL

PL/pgSQL is SQL plus procedural elements

variables if/then/else loops cursors error checking

Loading the language handler into a database:

createlang plpgsql dbname

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/interactive/plpgsql.html

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Overview Function Basics By Example

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Simple

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION sum (text, text) RETURNS text AS $$ BEGIN RETURN $1 || || $2; END; $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql; SELECT sum(hello, world); sum ------------hello world (1 row)

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Parameter ALIAS
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION sum (int, int) RETURNS int AS $$ DECLARE i ALIAS FOR $1; j ALIAS FOR $2; sum int; BEGIN sum := i + j; RETURN sum; END; $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql; SELECT sum(41, 1); sum ----42 (1 row)

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Named Parameters
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION sum (i int, j int) RETURNS int AS $$ DECLARE sum int; BEGIN sum := i + j; RETURN sum; END; $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql; SELECT sum(41, 1); sum ----42 (1 row)

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Control Structures: IF ...

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION even (i int) RETURNS boolean AS $$ DECLARE tmp int; BEGIN tmp := i % 2; IF tmp = 0 THEN RETURN true; ELSE RETURN false; END IF; END; $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql; SELECT even(3), even(42); even | even ------+-----f | t (1 row)

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Control Structures: FOR ... LOOP

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION factorial (i numeric) RETURNS numeric AS $$ DECLARE tmp numeric; result numeric; BEGIN result := 1; FOR tmp IN 1 .. i LOOP result := result * tmp; END LOOP; RETURN result; END; $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql; SELECT factorial(42::numeric); factorial -----------------------------------------------------1405006117752879898543142606244511569936384000000000 (1 row)

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Control Structures: WHILE ... LOOP

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION factorial (i numeric) RETURNS numeric AS $$ DECLARE tmp numeric; result numeric; BEGIN result := 1; tmp := 1; WHILE tmp <= i LOOP result := result * tmp; tmp := tmp + 1; END LOOP; RETURN result; END; $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql; SELECT factorial(42::numeric); factorial -----------------------------------------------------1405006117752879898543142606244511569936384000000000 (1 row)

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Recursive
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION factorial (i numeric) RETURNS numeric AS $$ BEGIN IF i = 0 THEN RETURN 1; ELSIF i = 1 THEN RETURN 1; ELSE RETURN i * factorial(i - 1); END IF; END; $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql; SELECT factorial(42::numeric); factorial -----------------------------------------------------1405006117752879898543142606244511569936384000000000 (1 row)

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Record types
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION format () RETURNS text AS $$ DECLARE tmp RECORD; BEGIN SELECT INTO tmp 1 + 1 AS a, 2 + 2 AS b; RETURN a = || tmp.a || ; b = || tmp.b; END; $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql; select format(); format -------------a = 2; b = 4 (1 row)

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PERFORM
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION func_w_side_fx() RETURNS void AS $$ INSERT INTO foo VALUES (41),(42) $$ LANGUAGE sql; CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION dummy () RETURNS text AS $$ BEGIN PERFORM func_w_side_fx(); RETURN OK; END; $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql; SELECT dummy(); SELECT * FROM foo; f1 ---41 42 (2 rows)

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Dynamic SQL
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION get_foo(i int) RETURNS foo AS $$ DECLARE rec RECORD; BEGIN EXECUTE SELECT * FROM foo WHERE f1 = || i INTO rec; RETURN rec; END; $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql; SELECT * FROM get_foo(42); f1 ---42 (1 row)

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Cursors
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION totalbalance() RETURNS numeric AS $$ DECLARE tmp RECORD; result numeric; BEGIN result := 0.00; FOR tmp IN SELECT * FROM foo LOOP result := result + tmp.f1; END LOOP; RETURN result; END; $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql; SELECT totalbalance(); totalbalance -------------83.00 (1 row)

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Error Handling

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION safe_add(a integer, b integer) RETURNS integer AS $$ BEGIN RETURN a + b; EXCEPTION WHEN numeric_value_out_of_range THEN -- do some important stuff RETURN -1; WHEN OTHERS THEN -- do some other important stuff RETURN -1; END; $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/interactive/errcodes-appendix.html

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Nested Exception Blocks

CREATE FUNCTION merge_db(key integer, data text) RETURNS void AS $$ BEGIN LOOP UPDATE db SET b = data WHERE a = key; IF found THEN RETURN; END IF; BEGIN INSERT INTO db (a, b) VALUES (key, data); RETURN; EXCEPTION WHEN unique_violation THEN -- do nothing END; END LOOP; EXCEPTION WHEN OTHERS THEN -- do something else END; $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;

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Thank You

Questions?

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