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$PostgreSQL: pgsql/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml,v 1.109 2004/03/30 15:54:33 momjian Exp $

$PostgreSQL: pgsql/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml,v 1.110 2004/04/12 15:58:52 momjian Exp $

PostgreSQL documentation

-->

<term><literal>\copy <replaceable class="parameter">table</replaceable>

[ ( <replaceable class="parameter">column_list</replaceable> ) ]

{ <literal>from</literal> | <literal>to</literal> }

{ <replaceable class="parameter">filename</replaceable> | stdin | stdout |- }

{ <replaceable class="parameter">filename</replaceable> | stdin | stdout |pstdin | pstdout }

[ <literal>with</literal> ]

[ <literal>oids</literal> ]

[ <literal>delimiter [as] </literal> '<replaceable class="parameter">character</replaceable>' ]

</para>

<para>

For<literal>\copy <replaceable

<literal>\copy <replaceable

class="parameter">table</replaceable> from <replaceable

class="parameter">filename</replaceable></literal> operations,

<application>psql</application> adds the option of using a

hyphen instead of <replaceable

class="parameter">filename</replaceable>. This causes

<literal>\copy</literal> to read rows from the same source that

issued the command, continuing until <literal>\.</literal> is

read or the stream reaches <acronym>EOF</>. This option is

useful for populating tables in-line within a SQL script file.

In contrast, <literal>\copy from stdin</> always reads from

<application>psql</application>'s standard input.

class="parameter">stdin | stdout</replaceable></literal>

reads/writes based on the command input and output respectively.

All rows are read from the same source that issued the command,

continuing until <literal>\.</literal> is read or the stream

reaches <acronym>EOF</>. Output is sent to the same place as

command output. To read/write from

<application>psql</application>'s standard input or output, use

<literal>pstdin</> or <literal>pstdout</>. This option is useful

for populating tables in-line within a SQL script file.

</para>

<tip>

</para>

</tip>

<note>

<para>

Note the difference in interpretation of

<literal>stdin</literal> and <literal>stdout</literal> between

<literal>\copy</literal> and <command>COPY</command>.

In <literal>\copy</literal> these always

refer to <application>psql</application>'s input and output

streams. In <command>COPY</command>, <literal>stdin</literal> comes

from wherever the <command>COPY</command> itself came from (for

example, a script run with the <option>-f</option> option), while

<literal>stdout</literal> refers to the query output stream (see

<command>\o</command> meta-command below).

</para>

</note>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>

char*table;

char*column_list;

char*file;/* NULL = stdin/stdout */

boolin_dash;/* true = usesrc stream not truestdin */

boolpsql_inout;/* true = usepsqlstdin/stdout */

boolfrom;

boolbinary;

booloids;

if (strcasecmp(token,"stdin")==0||

strcasecmp(token,"stdout")==0)

{

result->in_dash= false;

result->psql_inout= false;

result->file=NULL;

}

elseif (strcmp(token,"-")==0)

elseif (strcasecmp(token,"pstdin")==0||

strcasecmp(token,"pstdout")==0)

{

if (!result->from)

gotoerror;

result->in_dash= true;

result->psql_inout= true;

result->file=NULL;

}

{

result->in_dash= false;

result->psql_inout= false;

result->file=pg_strdup(token);

expand_tilde(&result->file);

}

{

if (options->file)

copystream=fopen(options->file,"r");

elseif (options->in_dash)

elseif (!options->psql_inout)

copystream=pset.cur_cmd_source;

copystream=stdin;

{

if (options->file)

copystream=fopen(options->file,"w");

elseif (!options->psql_inout)

copystream=pset.queryFout;

copystream=stdout;

}