Select from a table variable

Question

I am trying to save the result of a SELECT query, pass it, and reuse it in another PL/pgSQL function:

DECLARE
  table_holder my_table; --the typ         


        

Answer 1

There are no "table variables" in plpgsql. That's something you would find in SQL Server.

Use a temporary table instead:

BEGIN

CREATE TEMP TABLE table_holder AS
SELECT * FROM table_holder
WHERE <some condition>
ORDER BY <some expression>
;

...

END

A temporary table exists for the lifetime of a session. To drop it at the end of the function (or an enclosing transaction) automatically, use ON COMMIT DROP in the creating statement.

CREATE TEMP TABLE table_holder ON COMMIT DROP AS
SELECT ...

The temporary table is automatically visible to any other function in the same session.

One alternative would be to use cursors in plpgsql.