Thread: how to for loop with distinct values?
I am banging my head over this. I want to select distinct values from a varchar column and iterate through the values.
I want to select the distinct values from this column and loop through them (using as a variable) in a raise notice statement and also in an update statement.
I have not been able to do this trying dozens of different approaches. I could not find an example even after searching google.
So for example, suppose table: mytable has a column "value" that is defined as a varchar:
for tmp_var in select distinct(value) from mytable where value2='literal'
loop
raise notice 'I want to print a message here - the tmp_var is [' || tmp_var || ']'; <== error on this line
update table set somecolumn = ''' || tmp_var || '''
end loop;
I want to use each distinct value in a "raise notice" line and an update statement.
tmp_var has to be in ' ' ticks or will not work. it is failing on the first FOR statement stating: "invalid input syntax for integer: "some_distinct_value".
How do I select varchar distinct values and iterate using variables in a raise notice statement and inside another update statement?
this seems simple to do , but have not found a way.
I have not been able to do this trying dozens of different approaches. I could not find an example even after searching google.
So for example, suppose table: mytable has a column "value" that is defined as a varchar:
for tmp_var in select distinct(value) from mytable where value2='literal'
loop
raise notice 'I want to print a message here - the tmp_var is [' || tmp_var || ']'; <== error on this line
update table set somecolumn = ''' || tmp_var || '''
end loop;
I want to use each distinct value in a "raise notice" line and an update statement.
tmp_var has to be in ' ' ticks or will not work. it is failing on the first FOR statement stating: "invalid input syntax for integer: "some_distinct_value".
How do I select varchar distinct values and iterate using variables in a raise notice statement and inside another update statement?
this seems simple to do , but have not found a way.
On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 3:39 PM, J.V. <jvsrvcs@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I am banging my head over this. I want to select distinct values from a
> varchar column and iterate through the values.
>
> I want to select the distinct values from this column and loop through them
> (using as a variable) in a raise notice statement and also in an update
> statement.
>
> I have not been able to do this trying dozens of different approaches. I
> could not find an example even after searching google.
>
> So for example, suppose table: mytable has a column "value" that is defined
> as a varchar:
>
>
> for tmp_var in select distinct(value) from mytable where
> value2='literal'
> loop
> raise notice 'I want to print a message here - the tmp_var is [' ||
> tmp_var || ']'; <== error on this line
> update table set somecolumn = ''' || tmp_var || '''
> end loop;
>
> I want to use each distinct value in a "raise notice" line and an update
> statement.
>
> tmp_var has to be in ' ' ticks or will not work. it is failing on the
> first FOR statement stating: "invalid input syntax for integer:
> "some_distinct_value".
>
> How do I select varchar distinct values and iterate using variables in a
> raise notice statement and inside another update statement?
>
> this seems simple to do , but have not found a way.
Well it looks like you have a couple of problems here. First, when you 'raise notice', generally you do it like this:
>
> I am banging my head over this. I want to select distinct values from a
> varchar column and iterate through the values.
>
> I want to select the distinct values from this column and loop through them
> (using as a variable) in a raise notice statement and also in an update
> statement.
>
> I have not been able to do this trying dozens of different approaches. I
> could not find an example even after searching google.
>
> So for example, suppose table: mytable has a column "value" that is defined
> as a varchar:
>
>
> for tmp_var in select distinct(value) from mytable where
> value2='literal'
> loop
> raise notice 'I want to print a message here - the tmp_var is [' ||
> tmp_var || ']'; <== error on this line
> update table set somecolumn = ''' || tmp_var || '''
> end loop;
>
> I want to use each distinct value in a "raise notice" line and an update
> statement.
>
> tmp_var has to be in ' ' ticks or will not work. it is failing on the
> first FOR statement stating: "invalid input syntax for integer:
> "some_distinct_value".
>
> How do I select varchar distinct values and iterate using variables in a
> raise notice statement and inside another update statement?
>
> this seems simple to do , but have not found a way.
Well it looks like you have a couple of problems here. First, when you 'raise notice', generally you do it like this:
raise notice 'value of var is %', var;
And not do string concatenation. As for the update statement, you should be quoting tmp_var. At most you should be casting (tmp_var::int) and then be diagnosing why you have non integer data in a value you are trying to put into a integer column (which is the point of the insert). So, you are very close -- it all comes down to how you are handling the NOTICE i think. A quick review of the examples here: http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.2/static/plpgsql-errors-and-messages.html might be helpful.
merlin
2012/5/22 Merlin Moncure <mmoncure@gmail.com>
Well it looks like you have a couple of problems here. First, when you 'raise notice', generally you do it like this:On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 3:39 PM, J.V. <jvsrvcs@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I am banging my head over this. I want to select distinct values from a
> varchar column and iterate through the values.
>
> I want to select the distinct values from this column and loop through them
> (using as a variable) in a raise notice statement and also in an update
> statement.
>
> I have not been able to do this trying dozens of different approaches. I
> could not find an example even after searching google.
>
> So for example, suppose table: mytable has a column "value" that is defined
> as a varchar:
>
>
> for tmp_var in select distinct(value) from mytable where
> value2='literal'
> loop
> raise notice 'I want to print a message here - the tmp_var is [' ||
> tmp_var || ']'; <== error on this line
> update table set somecolumn = ''' || tmp_var || '''
> end loop;
>
> I want to use each distinct value in a "raise notice" line and an update
> statement.
>
> tmp_var has to be in ' ' ticks or will not work. it is failing on the
> first FOR statement stating: "invalid input syntax for integer:
> "some_distinct_value".
>
> How do I select varchar distinct values and iterate using variables in a
> raise notice statement and inside another update statement?
>
> this seems simple to do , but have not found a way.raise notice 'value of var is %', var;And not do string concatenation. As for the update statement, you should be quoting tmp_var. At most you should be casting (tmp_var::int) and then be diagnosing why you have non integer data in a value you are trying to put into a integer column (which is the point of the insert). So, you are very close -- it all comes down to how you are handling the NOTICE i think. A quick review of the examples here: http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.2/static/plpgsql-errors-and-messages.html might be helpful.merlin
Nice color and font ;-)
--
// Dmitriy.
On Tue, May 22, 2012 at 6:03 AM, Dmitriy Igrishin <dmitigr@gmail.com> wrote: > > Nice color and font ;-) > yup -- html formatted emails that I find displeasing get an automatic response in 'ms comic sans' :-D. merlin