Use array of composite type as function parameter and access it

I have created a type Books in Postgres which has 2 numeric fields and 2 varchar fields. I want to send an array of Books to a function to INSERT those values in a matching table.

This is my type:

CREATE TYPE Books AS (
V_Book_ID NUMERIC,
V_Row_Num NUMERIC,
V_Book_OWNER TEXT,
V_Book_OWNER_ID TEXT
);

This is my function:

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION Update_Table(row_book Books[]) RETURNS TEXT AS $
DECLARE
   Status TEXT;
   I_Max integer := array_length(row_book, 1);
BEGIN
FOR I in 1..I_Max
  LOOP
   INSERT INTO books_table(Book_ID,
   Row_Num,
   Book_OWNER,
   Book_OWNER_ID)
   values
   (row_book[I].V_Book_ID,
   row_book[I].V_Row_Num,
   row_book[I].V_Book_OWNER,
   row_book[I].V_Book_OWNER_ID);
END LOOP;

   STATUS:='Saved';
exception when others then
   STATUS:='failure';
   RETURN STATUS;

END;
$ language plpgsql;

How do I send data to the function or how should I call the function with data?

I answered a similar question on SO some time ago, to suggest the same solution with unnest() like @a_horse did:

• Array of composite type as stored procedure input

If books_table has the same row type as your composite type books, you do not need to create the additional type at all, just use the row type of the table:

CREATE TABLE books_table (
  book_id numeric
, row_num numeric
, book_owner text
, book_owner_id text
);

PL/pgSQL function

If you need a plpgsql function for some undeclared reason:
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION update_table_variadic(VARIADIC _books_arr books_table[])
RETURNS TEXT
LANGUAGE plpgsql AS
$func$
DECLARE
b books_table;
BEGIN
FOREACH b IN ARRAY _books_arr
LOOP
INSERT INTO books_table -- rare case where column list is no improvement
SELECT b.*;
END LOOP;

RETURN 'Saved';

EXCEPTION WHEN others THEN
RETURN 'Failure';
END
$func$;


Example call with list of row values:

SELECT update_table_variadic('(2,100,Arthur,1)', '(2,50,Zaphod,1)');

Without using VARIADIC, the function call would require a single array parameter.

Either an array literal (optionally with explicit cast):

SELECT update_table('{"(1,100,Arthur,1)","(1,50,Zaphod,1)"}'::books_table[]);

See:

• How to call PostgreSQL function with array of rowtype as parameter from Java

• How to pass custom type array to Postgres function

Or you can use an array constructor like @a_horse demonstrates.
Array literals are often easier to provide.

Major points:

Use the simpler FOREACH to loop over an array. See:

• Postgres - array for loop

Avoid CaMeL-case names in Postgres unless you know what you are doing.

(Optionally) use a VARIADIC parameter to simplify the syntax for the function call. Then you can provide a list of row values. Note the maximum number of function parameters (default 100) if you go with VARIADIC:

• Select rows such that names match elements of input array for pgsql function

SQL function

If you don't need to catch the exception, and you also don't need the string 'Saved' / 'Failure' to be returned, simplify:

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION update_table_set(VARIADIC _books_arr books_table[])
  RETURNS void
  LANGUAGE sql AS
$func$
   INSERT INTO books_table
   SELECT * FROM unnest(_books_arr) b;
$func$;

db<>fiddle here

Old sqlfiddle

StackExchange Database Administrators Q#131505, answer score: 9