<term><literal>\copy { <replaceable class="parameter">table</replaceable> [ ( <replaceable class="parameter">column_list</replaceable> ) ] | ( <replaceable class="parameter">query</replaceable> ) }

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

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

[ with ]

[ binary ]

[ oids ]

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

[ null [ as ] '<replaceable class="parameter">string</replaceable>' ]

[ csv

[ header ]

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

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

[ force quote <replaceable class="parameter">column_list</replaceable> | * ]

[ force not null <replaceable class="parameter">column_list</replaceable> ] ]</literal>

</term>

[ [ with ] ( <replaceable class="parameter">option</replaceable> [, ...] ) ]</literal></term>

<listitem>

<para>

<para>

The syntax of the command is similar to that of the

<acronym>SQL</acronym> <xref linkend="sql-copy">

command. Note that, because of this,

command, and

<replaceable class="parameter">option</replaceable>

must indicate one of the options of the

<acronym>SQL</acronym> <xref linkend="sql-copy"> command.

Note that, because of this,

special parsing rules apply to the <command>\copy</command>

command. In particular, the variable substitution rules and

backslash escapes do not apply.