"Ungroup" data for import into PostgreSQL - Mailing list pgsql-general

Hi List,

I need to import data from a large Excel spreadsheet into a PostgreSQL
table.  I have a program that uses ODBC to connect to Excel and extract data
using SQL queries.  The program then inserts the data into a PostgreSQL
table.

The challenge with this particular spreadsheet is that it is arrayed thus:

Model No 1     Product Code 15
    Serial No 1       No on Hand
    Serial No 2       No on Hand
    Serial No 3       No on Hand
Model No 4    Product Code 9
    Serial No 12     No on Hand
Model No 5    Product Code 27
    Serial No 6       No on Hand
    Serial No 14     No on Hand

etc.

I need the data in PostgreSQL arrayed thus

Model No 1    Product Code 15    Serial No 1       No on Hand
Model No 1    Product Code 15    Serial No 2       No on Hand
Model No 1    Product Code 15    Serial No 3       No on Hand
Model No 4    Product Code 9      Serial No 12     No on Hand
Model No 5    Product Code 27    Serial No 6       No on Hand
Model No 5    Product Code 27    Serial No 14     No on Hand

I can import the data procedurely using plpgsql to match the individual rows
to the master for each row (import the raw data into a buffer table in
PostgreSQL and then looping through the rows in the buffer table and
checking to see when the Model No changes).

I'm wondering if there is a more elegant way to do this using straight sql
from Excel?

Thanks for your help/suggestions!
George