Thread: libpq: binary data vs textual

Database returns information from "integer" and "biging" fields as text (values represented as string which must be read via atoi()/atol()) - is there a way to retrieve such data as binary? Will not PostgreSQL suddenly start return information in binary format (while I will continue read it as text)?

On 01/16/2011 08:13 AM, Вячеслав Блинников wrote:
> Database returns information from "integer" and "biging" fields as
> text (values represented as string which must be read via
> atoi()/atol()) - is there a way to retrieve such data as binary? Will
> not PostgreSQL suddenly start return information in binary format
> (while I will continue read it as text)?

I assume you mean using libpq.

0) yes, you can get it as binary.
1) no, it wont switch.
2) you get to specify what format the server will return info, when you use PQexecParams().

See the paramFormats argument.

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/interactive/libpq-exec.html#LIBPQ-EXEC-MAIN

-Andy

On 01/16/2011 09:07 AM, Andy Colson wrote:
> On 01/16/2011 08:13 AM, Вячеслав Блинников wrote:
>> Database returns information from "integer" and "biging" fields as
>> text (values represented as string which must be read via
>> atoi()/atol()) - is there a way to retrieve such data as binary? Will
>> not PostgreSQL suddenly start return information in binary format
>> (while I will continue read it as text)?
>
> I assume you mean using libpq.
>
> 0) yes, you can get it as binary.
> 1) no, it wont switch.
> 2) you get to specify what format the server will return info, when you use PQexecParams().
>
> See the paramFormats argument.
>
> http://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/interactive/libpq-exec.html#LIBPQ-EXEC-MAIN
>
> -Andy
>

> I assume you mean using libpq.

Oops.  libpq, right in the subject... Jeez... sorry about that.

-Andy

The claw "no, it wont switch." is enaugh. I think it's a good manner to use some default settings - will read textual data.
Thanks!