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PostgreSQL documentation

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<productname>PostgreSQL</productname> tables and

standard file-system files.

<command>COPY TO</command> copies the entire contents of a table to

a file, while <command>COPY FROM</command> copies data from a file to a

<command>COPY TO</command> copies the entire contents of a table

<emphasis>to</>

a file, while <command>COPY FROM</command> copies data <emphasis>from</> a

file to a

table (appending the data to whatever is in the table already).

</para>

</para>

<para>

You must have <firstterm>selectaccess</firstterm> on any table

You must have <firstterm>selectprivilege</firstterm> on any table

whose values are read by

<command>COPY</command>, and either

<firstterm>insert</firstterm> or <firstterm>update access</firstterm>to a

table into which values are being inserted by <command>COPY</command>.

<command>COPY TO</command>, and

<firstterm>insert privilege</firstterm>on a

table into which values are being inserted by <command>COPY FROM</command>.

The backend also needs appropriate Unix permissions for any file read

or written by <command>COPY</command>.

</para>

<para>

<command>COPYTO</command> neither invokes rules nor acts on column

<command>COPYFROM</command> neither invokes rules nor acts on column

defaults. It does invoke triggers and check constraints.

</para>

<para>

<command>COPY</command> stops operation at the first error. This

should not lead to problems in the event of

a <command>COPYFROM</command>, but the

a <command>COPYTO</command>, but the

target relation will already have received earlier rows in a

<command>COPYTO</command>. These rows will not be visible or

<command>COPYFROM</command>. These rows will not be visible or

accessible, but they still occupy disk space. This may amount to a

considerable amount

of wasted disk space if the failure happened well into a large copy

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PostgreSQL documentation

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<para>

Allows <xref linkend="sql-select" endterm="sql-select-title"> from any column of the

specified table, view, or sequence. Also allows the use of

<xref linkend="sql-copy" endterm="sql-copy-title">FROM.

<xref linkend="sql-copy" endterm="sql-copy-title">TO.

</para>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>

<listitem>

<para>

Allows <xref linkend="sql-insert" endterm="sql-insert-title"> of a new row into the

specified table. Also allows <xref linkend="sql-copy" endterm="sql-copy-title">TO.

specified table. Also allows <xref linkend="sql-copy" endterm="sql-copy-title">FROM.

</para>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>