Cannot create canonicalization function for user-defined range type

Started by Avery Fischerabout 5 years ago3 messagesgeneral
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#1Avery Fischer
biggerfisch@gmail.com

Hi, I'm trying to create a canonicalization function for a user-defined
range type and running into some issues. I've filled out the template
below, and I'm super grateful for your help!

A description of what you are trying to achieve and what results you
expect.:

I'm trying to create a user-defined range type (specifically, over UUID,
but this question isn't that specific) with a canonicalization function, as
described in the docs:
https://www.postgresql.org/docs/11/sql-createtype.html .Specifically, the
docs say that one should create a shell type, then define a
canonicalization function, then finally, redefine the range type over the
shell type with the newly created canonicalization function.

However, I cannot get to that last step as I get an error on the second
step, as I can't seem to define a canonicalization function with a shell
type. I've included SQL and output/error logs below.

I expect this function declaration to work (or for there to be some method
of defining it documented) so that I can create a custom range type with a
canonicalization function.

PostgreSQL version number you are running:
- PostgreSQL 11.10 on x86_64-pc-linux-musl, compiled by gcc (Alpine 9.3.0)
9.3.0, 64-bit
- PostgreSQL 13.1 (Debian 13.1-1.pgdg100+1) on x86_64-pc-linux-gnu,
compiled by gcc (Debian 8.3
.0-6) 8.3.0, 64-bit

How you installed PostgreSQL:
- docker

Changes made to the settings in the postgresql.conf file: see Server
Configuration for a quick way to list them all.
- None specifically, this happens with 0 explicit configuration

Operating system and version:
- Arch, up-to-date (shouldn't be relevent)

What program you're using to connect to PostgreSQL:
- psql

Is there anything relevant or unusual in the PostgreSQL server logs?:
- same message as described only

For questions about any kind of error:

What you were doing when the error happened / how to cause the error:
SQL:
```
-- create a shell type
CREATE TYPE myrange;

-- create a canonicalization function with signature described by docs
CREATE FUNCTION myrange_canonical(x myrange) RETURNS myrange AS $$
BEGIN
return x;
END;
$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
```

This is what I understood from the docs at
https://www.postgresql.org/docs/11/rangetypes.html#RANGETYPES-DEFINING

The EXACT TEXT of the error message you're getting, if there is one: (Copy
and paste the message to the email, do not send a screenshot)

NOTICE: argument type myrange is only a shell
NOTICE: return type myrange is only a shell
ERROR: PL/pgSQL functions cannot return type myrange

The two NOTICE lines make sense - but I don't understand the error. When I
dig into it, it seems to be due to "psuedotype" handling (and limitations
thereof).

Am I misunderstanding the docs, or are they out-of-date, or is something
else going on? How can I create a canonicalization function for my range
type?

Thanks!

#2David G. Johnston
david.g.johnston@gmail.com
In reply to: Avery Fischer (#1)
Re: Cannot create canonicalization function for user-defined range type

On Wed, Jan 20, 2021 at 5:00 AM Avery Fischer <biggerfisch@gmail.com> wrote:

ERROR: PL/pgSQL functions cannot return type myrange

Am I misunderstanding the docs, or are they out-of-date, or is something
else going on? How can I create a canonicalization function for my range
type?

In short, I'm pretty sure shell types can only be referenced in C language
functions. The allowed types listing for pl/pgsql doesn't mention shell
types and this error reinforces the fact that the omission is indeed a
reflection of the fact that shell types are not allowed.

Thus one needs to write a C language function if one wishes to implement a
custom range.

David J.

#3Tom Lane
tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us
In reply to: David G. Johnston (#2)
Re: Cannot create canonicalization function for user-defined range type

"David G. Johnston" <david.g.johnston@gmail.com> writes:

On Wed, Jan 20, 2021 at 5:00 AM Avery Fischer <biggerfisch@gmail.com> wrote:

ERROR: PL/pgSQL functions cannot return type myrange
Am I misunderstanding the docs, or are they out-of-date, or is something
else going on? How can I create a canonicalization function for my range
type?

Thus one needs to write a C language function if one wishes to implement a
custom range.

Yeah, that's the only way at the moment. We've not seen much use-case
for writing canonicalization functions in PLs, because of (a) performance
and (b) circularity concerns --- the latter meaning that the PL's own
infrastructure is likely to expect that it can manipulate scalar values
without incurring recursion. These are pretty much the same reasons
why a datatype's I/O functions can't be written in a PL.

regards, tom lane