pg_copy_from

    (PHP 4 >= 4.2.0, PHP 5, PHP 7, PHP 8)

    pg_copy_from — Insert records into a table from an array

    Description

    pg_copy_from(
        PgSql\Connection $connection,
        string $table_name,
        array $rows,
        string $separator = "\t",
        string $null_as = "\\\\N"
    ): bool

    pg_copy_from() inserts records into a table from rows. It issues a COPY FROM SQL command internally to insert records.

    Parameters

    connection

    An PgSql\Connection instance.

    table_name

    Name of the table into which to copy the rows.

    rows

    An array of data to be copied into table_name. Each value in rows becomes a row in table_name. Each value in rows should be a delimited string of the values to insert into each field. Values should be linefeed terminated.

    separator

    The token that separates values for each field in each element of rows. Default is \t.

    null_as

    How SQL NULL values are represented in the rows. Default is \\N ("\\\\N").

    Return Values

    Returns true on success or false on failure.

    Changelog

    Version Description
    8.1.0 The connection parameter expects an PgSql\Connection instance now; previously, a resource was expected.

    Examples

    Example #1 pg_copy_from() example

    <?php
    $db     = pg_connect("dbname=publisher") or die("Could not connect");

    $rows = pg_copy_to($db, $table_name);

    pg_query($db, "DELETE FROM $table_name");

    pg_copy_from($db, $table_name, $rows);
    ?>

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    User Contributed Notes 9 notes

    up
    7
    karlo dot petravic at hotmail dot com
    5 years ago
    As table name you can also specify columns you want imported.

    Will import all columns:
    <?php
    pg_copy_from    ($db, 'cpm.ics', $rows);
    ?>

    Will import only specified columns:
    <?php
    pg_copy_from    ($db, 'cpm.ics (type, product, date, count, amount)', $rows);
    ?>
    up
    1
    Rainer Perske
    1 year ago
    To solve the problem of how many backslashes to use for the parameters $separator and $null_as: The backslashes are interpreted twice, first by PHP and then by PostgreSQL. So write four backslashes to indicate one backslash in the input data. So both '\\\\N' and as "\\\\N" become NULL AS E'\\N' meaning the same as NULL AS '\N' in the internally used SQL statement.

    The loaded input data must be backslash-escaped. According to the PostgreSQL documentation, you can use the following escape sequences:

    \\ = Backslash (ASCII 92)
    \b = Backspace (ASCII 8)
    \t = Tab (ASCII 9)
    \n = Newline (ASCII 10)
    \v = Vertical tab (ASCII 11)
    \f = Form feed (ASCII 12)
    \r = Carriage return (ASCII 13)
    \000 (Backslash followed by one to three octal digits) = the byte with that numeric code
    \x00 (Backslash x followed by one or two hex digits) = the byte with that numeric code

    With the default setting, a data field containing only \N (one non-escaped backslash and an N) indicates a NULL value. This default value \N has been chosen because it does not collide with properly encoded data.
    up
    1
    smcbride at msn dot com
    4 years ago
    When using this function, don't get bit by the double quote (") vs. single quote (') differences. It is a small thing, but the error messaging is misleading. If you use a single quote, you will see the \t separated values all try to be inserted into the first field.

    Small consideration, but will save someone who is working late and can't get these functions to work.
    up
    1
    Anonymous
    15 years ago
    see also: pg_put_line for a solution that does not require buffering of all the data to be copied,
    up
    0
    Dave
    10 years ago
    Default is "\\\N" not "\\N" at least in php 5.4

    pg_copy_from($db, $table_name, "\t", "\\\N")
    up
    0
    vlad at php dot net
    21 years ago
    By default NULL values are a backslash followed with capital N ("\\N").

    Also, you can't insert entries with OIDs (I've added it to my TODO list though)
    up
    -1
    Dave
    12 years ago
    As of postgresql 9.1 "standard_conforming_strings" is set to on

    This will not work anymore
    <?php
    $copy_message     = "1\t\\N\t300";
    pg_copy_from($db, "message", $copy_message);
    ?>
    result will be a "N" in that field. if the field allow text that is else it will fail to insert the post.

    simple fix
    <?php
    $copy_message     = "1\t\\NULL\t300";
    pg_copy_from($db, "message", $copy_message, "\t","\\NULL");
    ?>
    up
    -1
    kapouer_php at melix dot org
    17 years ago
    pg syntax is :
    COPY test (cola, colb, colc) FROM stdin;
    ...

    this function doesn't let you in which order the columns are !
    up
    -1
    carl at thep.lu.se
    22 years ago
    Something needs to be said about the format of the array.
    Judging by what I've seen, it's pretty much what you get
    from loading a tab-separated file with file(). That is, the
    lines are linefeed-terminated and there's no need to have
    an extra line with "\.". On the other hand, when I try using this
    command the connection to the server ends up in some odd
    state and is then lost:
    PHP Warning: U?S?o() query failed: server closed the connection unexpectedly

    I think it might be safer to use the lower-level function
    pg_put_line() for now.
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