Thread: Unknown kind of return type specified for function

I am creating a function that does not return anything so I am trying
the following:

create or replace function splite_delete_configured_selection(int, int,
int, int)
returns void
security definer
as '
declare
...
begin
...
return;
end;
' language 'plpgsql';

but as soon as I try to call this function I get the following error:

ERROR:  Unknown kind of return type specified for function
splite_delete_configured_selection

How do I declare the fact that the function will return nothing?

I am running version 7.3.2.

Thanks.

Avi

Avi Schwartz <avi@CFFtechnologies.com> writes:
> How do I declare the fact that the function will return nothing?

"returns void" works fine for me.

regression=# create or replace function splite_delete_configured_selection(int,
regression(# int, int, int)
regression-# returns void
regression-# as '
regression'# begin
regression'# return;
regression'# end;
regression'# ' language 'plpgsql';
CREATE FUNCTION
regression=# select splite_delete_configured_selection(1,2,3,4);
 splite_delete_configured_selection
------------------------------------

(1 row)


            regards, tom lane

Tom,  your example showed me what my problem was.

I was doing a 'select * from function(1,2,3)' instead for just 'select
function(1,2,3)'

Some of the error messages returned are so cryptic it is scary...

Avi

On Sunday, Jun 15, 2003, at 00:05 America/Chicago, Tom Lane wrote:

> Avi Schwartz <avi@CFFtechnologies.com> writes:
>> How do I declare the fact that the function will return nothing?
>
> "returns void" works fine for me.
>
> regression=# create or replace function
> splite_delete_configured_selection(int,
> regression(# int, int, int)
> regression-# returns void
> regression-# as '
> regression'# begin
> regression'# return;
> regression'# end;
> regression'# ' language 'plpgsql';
> CREATE FUNCTION
> regression=# select splite_delete_configured_selection(1,2,3,4);
>  splite_delete_configured_selection
> ------------------------------------
>
> (1 row)

Avi Schwartz <avi@CFFtechnologies.com> writes:
> Tom,  your example showed me what my problem was.
> I was doing a 'select * from function(1,2,3)' instead for just 'select
> function(1,2,3)'

> Some of the error messages returned are so cryptic it is scary...

I agree, this one's pretty unhelpful, although in the original author's
defense I don't think he realized that users would actually get to see
this case.

As of a few seconds ago, CVS tip will say

ERROR:  function foo() in FROM has unsupported return type

which hopefully is a little more useful.

            regards, tom lane