Re: split function for pl/pgsql

Frederic Logier wrote:
> hi,
> 
> i'm looking for a split function, like perl or php.
> I need doing a pl/pgsql function with a split return an array.
> I must do some loop with this array for mass inserting.
> 
> I think of doing it with pl / perl but I need to do insert and I don't
> find example with pl / perl and sql.

There is no split function built in to PostgreSQL currently. You could write 
it yourself in PL/Perl and use it in the PL/pgSQL function.

In 7.3 (currently in beta) there is a split_part() function which returns just 
one element. I will most likely write a split function for 7.4 to return an 
array, similar to perl and php. In 7.3, the following will do what you want (I 
think):

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION split(text, text)
RETURNS text[] AS '  DECLARE    i int := 0;    word text;    result text := ''{'';    result_arr text[];  BEGIN    LOOP
    i := i + 1;      SELECT INTO word split_part($1, $2, i);      IF word = '''' THEN        EXIT;      END IF;      IF
i> 1 THEN        result := result || '',"'' || word || ''"'';      ELSE        result := result || ''"'' || word ||
''"'';     END IF;    END LOOP;    result := result || ''}'';    result_arr := result;    RETURN result_arr;  END
 
' LANGUAGE 'plpgsql';

test=# select split('a,b,c',',');  split
--------- {a,b,c}
(1 row)

test=# select a[1] from (select split('a,b,c',',') as a) as t; a
--- a
(1 row)

HTH,

Joe