PostgreSQL: How to pass parameters from command line?

Question

I have a somewhat detailed query in a script that uses ? placeholders. I wanted to test this same query directly from the psql command line (outside the script

Answer 1

You can also pass-in the parameters at the psql command-line, or from a batch file. The first statements gather necessary details for connecting to your database.

The final prompt asks for the constraint values, which will be used in the WHERE column IN() clause. Remember to single-quote if strings, and separate by comma:

@echo off
echo "Test for Passing Params to PGSQL"
SET server=localhost
SET /P server="Server [%server%]: "

SET database=amedatamodel
SET /P database="Database [%database%]: "

SET port=5432
SET /P port="Port [%port%]: "

SET username=postgres
SET /P username="Username [%username%]: "

SET /P bunos="Enter multiple constraint values for IN clause [%constraints%]: "
ECHO you typed %constraints%
PAUSE
REM pause
"C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\9.0\bin\psql.exe" -h %server% -U %username% -d %database% -p %port% -e -v v1=%constraints% -f test.sql

Now in your SQL code file, add the v1 token within your WHERE clause, or anywhere else in the SQL. Note that the tokens can also be used in an open SQL statement, not just in a file. Save this as test.sql:

SELECT * FROM myTable
WHERE NOT someColumn IN (:v1);

In Windows, save the whole file as a DOS BATch file (.bat), save the test.sql in the same directory, and launch the batch file.

Thanks for Dave Page, of EnterpriseDB, for the original prompted script.