update ... set ... subquery

2010/3/17 John Smith <jayzee.smith@gmail.com>

guys,
trying multiple updates without success like so:

update a
set number = any ( select number from b where
a.number=b.number)
where number is null;

'syntax error at or near "any"'

subquery returns more than one row. using 8.1.
thks, jzs

If the subquery returns multiple values, which value do you want to set to
the 'number' column. For each record there can be only one value for this
column?
The subquery has to return only one value such a query.

Show the tables structure, maybe there is a better column than the 'number'
to join the 'a' and 'b' tables.

regards
Szymon Guz

On Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 03:13:26PM -0400, John Smith wrote:

guys,
trying multiple updates without success like so:

update a
set number = any ( select number from b where a.number=b.number)
where number is null;

'syntax error at or near "any"'

subquery returns more than one row. using 8.1.
thks, jzs

make is: number in ( select number from ...

number = any () is syntax for arrays.

depesz

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guys,
sorry my query is like so:
update a
set number = any ( select number from b where a.name=b.name )
where number is null;

simplified table a:
sn | number | name
----------------------------------
1 | 101 | john
2 | null | mary
3 | 127 | mark
4 | null | jane
5 | 133 | matt

simplified table b:
sn | number | name
----------------------------------
1 | 101 | john
2 | 967 | mary
3 | 127 | mark
4 | 965 | jane
5 | 133 | matt

so basically trying to get "number" from "b" to "a" where their "name"s match.

also "... number in (...) ..." throws error (syntax error at or near "in").
thks, jzs

On 17 Mar 2010, at 21:40, John Smith wrote:

guys,
sorry my query is like so:
update a
set number = any ( select number from b where a.name=b.name )
where number is null;

Looks like you want:
update a
set number = b.number
from b
where number is null
and name = b.name;

simplified table a:
sn | number | name
----------------------------------
1 | 101 | john
2 | null | mary
3 | 127 | mark
4 | null | jane
5 | 133 | matt

simplified table b:
sn | number | name
----------------------------------
1 | 101 | john
2 | 967 | mary
3 | 127 | mark
4 | 965 | jane
5 | 133 | matt

so basically trying to get "number" from "b" to "a" where their "name"s match.

also "... number in (...) ..." throws error (syntax error at or near "in").
thks, jzs

Alban Hertroys

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cut the trees and you'll see there is no forest.

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