PG Unpivot ?

On Mon, Nov 03, 2025 at 12:18:55PM -0500, dfgpostgres wrote:

psql (13.2, server 15.3) on linux

I think they call this "unpivot" in MSSQL ?

How can I get an sql query to return one line per column with... an ID,
column name and value. the ctid for the id field is fine.

Example:
dvdb=# create table unpivot (intcol integer, floatcol float, strcol
varchar);
CREATE TABLE
dvdb=# insert into unpivot (intcol,floatcol,strcol) values
(1,1.1,'one'),(2,2.2,'two'),(3,3.3,'three');
INSERT 0 3
dvdb=# select * from unpivot;
intcol | floatcol | strcol
--------+----------+--------
1 | 1.1 | one
2 | 2.2 | two
3 | 3.3 | three
(3 rows)
I want 9 records returned, each row with 3 cols, 1st col is the ctid,
second is the column name, third is the val.

I think it should work:

select u.ctid, e.* from unpivot u, to_jsonb(u) j, jsonb_each_text(j) e;

Best regards,

depesz

Wow !
That did it, even with the predicate I stuck on the end when I tried it.

Thanks Depesz !

On Mon, Nov 3, 2025 at 12:22 PM hubert depesz lubaczewski <depesz@depesz.com>
wrote:

dfgpostgres <dfgpostgres3@gmail.com> writes:

I want 9 records returned, each row with 3 cols, 1st col is the ctid,
second is the column name, third is the val.

Perhaps psql's "expanded" mode is close enough?

regression=# \x
Expanded display is on.
regression=# select * from unpivot;
-[ RECORD 1 ]---
intcol | 1
floatcol | 1.1
strcol | one
-[ RECORD 2 ]---
intcol | 2
floatcol | 2.2
strcol | two
-[ RECORD 3 ]---
intcol | 3
floatcol | 3.3
strcol | three

PS: I do not advise relying on ctid as a row identifier.
Use a proper primary key.

regards, tom lane