Michael Meskes wrote:
> Hi, > > is a pl/pgSQL function completely parsed once? Or is only the next > statement parsed as with many interpreters? If it's the latter it would > mean one has to run each branch just to see if the syntax is correct. Is > that true? > > Michael If the docs are true, than the plain PL/pgSQL code is parsed at once, but SQL expressions and queries are not prepared until the branch is used. But read for yourself. To quote from Programmers Guide (Chapter 23, Section 1): "The PL/pgSQL call handler parses the function's source text and produces an internal binary instruction tree the first time the function is called (within any one backend process). The instruction tree fully translates the PL/pgSQL statement structure, but individual SQL expressions and SQL queries used in the function are not translated immediately. As each expression and SQL query is first used in the function, the PL/pgSQL interpreter creates a prepared execution plan (using the SPI manager's SPI_prepare and SPI_saveplan functions). Subsequent visits to that expression or query re-use the prepared plan. Thus, a function with conditional code that contains many statements for which execution plans might be required, will only prepare and save those plans that are really used during the lifetime of the database connection. This can provide a considerable savings of parsing activity. A disadvantage is that errors in a specific expression or query may not be detected until that part of the function is reached in execution." Regards, Michael ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- TIP 5: Have you checked our extensive FAQ? http://www.postgresql.org/users-lounge/docs/faq.html