Rob Shepherd wrote:
> I'm following the synatx
>
> COPY <tablename> TO 'filename'
>
> .....but i'm trying to use a variable as the filename.
>
[...]
>
> returns the error....
>
> ERROR: syntax error at or near "$1" at character 21
> QUERY: COPY tt_archive TO $1
> CONTEXT:  SQL statement in PL/PgSQL function "archive" near line 16

A case for dynamic SQL!
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.2/static/plpgsql-statements.html#PLPGSQ
L-STATEMENTS-EXECUTING-DYN

Yours,
Laurenz Albe