use of postgres reg* datatypes in user tables?

Started by plsqlvids01 plsqlvids01over 1 year ago3 messagesgeneral
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#1plsqlvids01 plsqlvids01
plsqlvids01@gmail.com

What is the use of postgres regclass datatype in user tables? When would
one want to use them when regular data types are available? If any tables
have these data types, since pg_upgrade would fail, what data types should
those be converted to?

```
postgres=> select version();
version

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PostgreSQL 14.11 on x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, compiled by gcc (GCC) 7.3.1
20180712 (Red Hat 7.3.1-12), 64-bit
(1 row)

\dT pg_catalog.reg*
List of data types
Schema │ Name │ Description
════════════╪═══════════════╪══════════════════════════════════════
pg_catalog │ regclass │ registered class
pg_catalog │ regcollation │ registered collation
pg_catalog │ regconfig │ registered text search configuration
pg_catalog │ regdictionary │ registered text search dictionary
pg_catalog │ regnamespace │ registered namespace
pg_catalog │ regoper │ registered operator
pg_catalog │ regoperator │ registered operator (with args)
pg_catalog │ regproc │ registered procedure
pg_catalog │ regprocedure │ registered procedure (with args)
pg_catalog │ regrole │ registered role
pg_catalog │ regtype │ registered type
(11 rows)

postgres=> create table t1 (c1 int, c2 regclass);
CREATE TABLE
postgres=> \d t1;
Table "public.t1"
Column | Type | Collation | Nullable | Default
--------+----------+-----------+----------+---------
c1 | integer | | |
c2 | regclass | | |

postgres=> insert into t1 values(1,1);
INSERT 0 1
postgres=> insert into t1 values(2,'2');
INSERT 0 1
postgres=> insert into t1 values(3,'3'::int);
INSERT 0 1
postgres=> insert into t1 values(4,'4'::text);
ERROR: relation "4" does not exist
postgres=> select * from t1;
c1 | c2
----+----
1 | 1
2 | 2
3 | 3
(3 rows)
```
What kind of data does these data types store - numbers or text? In above
example am able to insert it as number as well as character '2'?

#2Tom Lane
tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us
In reply to: plsqlvids01 plsqlvids01 (#1)
Re: use of postgres reg* datatypes in user tables?

plsqlvids01 plsqlvids01 <plsqlvids01@gmail.com> writes:

What is the use of postgres regclass datatype in user tables? When would
one want to use them when regular data types are available? If any tables
have these data types, since pg_upgrade would fail, what data types should
those be converted to?

Indeed, storing reg* types in user tables isn't particularly
recommended because of the pg_upgrade problem. However, casting
to a reg* type is plenty useful in queries on the system catalogs.
There is more info and examples in the manual:

https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/datatype-oid.html

regards, tom lane

#3David G. Johnston
david.g.johnston@gmail.com
In reply to: plsqlvids01 plsqlvids01 (#1)
Re: use of postgres reg* datatypes in user tables?

On Sunday, August 18, 2024, plsqlvids01 plsqlvids01 <plsqlvids01@gmail.com>
wrote:

What kind of data does these data types store - numbers or text?

https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/datatype-oid.html

They are aliases for oid.

David J.