Re: [SQL] COPY to table with array columns (Longish)

[Phillip Smith]

No problem!   SYS  'ZKCOST' size = 21 01 2750 This is a simple record in the SYS file. Primary Key is “ZKCOST” and the Data would be 1 element with a value of 2750.   SYS  'ZPRECMPL' size = 2069                                                  O 01 928898 02 928899 03 928900 04 928901 05 928902 06 928903 07 928904 08 928907 09 928908 10 928909 11 928910 12 928915 13 928916 14 928917 15 928918 16 928919 17 928920 18 928921 19 928925 20 928926 21 928927 <snip> Another SYS record – this is a list of invoices that are waiting to be confirmed and therefore obviously constantly change with additions and deletions. So in the SQL this would need to have a Primary Key of “ZPRECMPL” and 21 elements in the array, each with an invoice number… (well, there’s actually 293 in there at the moment, but I don’t think I need to fill up the e-mail with all of them!)   The whole sys file is variable length records like this – they range from 1 to over 17,000 fields per record.   Hope this helps, Thanks, -p   -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Aaron Bono Sent: Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:36 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: pgsql-sql@postgresql.org Subject: Re: [SQL] COPY to table with array columns (Longish)   Can you provide an example? Thanks, Aaron On 6/11/06, Phillip Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > wrote: Hi All,   Hope someone can help me – our main company system runs on Raining Data PICK/D3 (if anyone familiar with it) which stores records in it's "tables" as variable length items. Every item has a unique Primary Key (per table) then each item can have a variable number of fields. These fields are delimited by Char 254, then each field can have sub-values delimited by Char 253, then sub-sub-values delimited by Char 252.   Anyway, we are trying to export everything to Postgres for reporting and querying etc (not to actually run the system…. Yet) and hasn't been a problem so far – everything like stock and purchase orders, sales orders etc can pretty easily be turned in to a flat file with standard number of columns and consistent data. We truncate every table each night then import that latest TSV export from D3 using a COPY command.   The problem arises with tables like our SYS table which store generic system data, so one record could have 3 fields, but the next could have 300. The only way I can work out how to export multi-valued data like this to Postgres is to use an array column. So the table has 2 columns – the pkey and a data array.   How do I get this imported to the truncated table each night? At the moment I think my best option is to modify the export for the SYS table to call PSQL and use standard SQL INSERT statements to directly insert it instead of exporting to a flat file, then import to Postgres.   Thanks all, -p   For those who are interested, or if it might help, here's a rough comparison of the database structure of D3: Windows           =     PICK/D3     =     Postgres Drive             =     Account     =     Database Directory         =     File        =     Table File              =     Item        =     Row Line in text file =     Attribute   =     Field (none)            =     Value       =     Array Element (?) (none)            =     Sub Value   =     (none?)   Phillip Smith IT Coordinator Weatherbeeta P/L 8 Moncrief Rd Nunawading, VIC, 3131 AUSTRALIA   E. [EMAIL PROTECTED]   *******************Confidentiality and Privilege Notice******************* The material contained in this message is privileged and confidential to the addressee. If you are not the addressee indicated in this message or responsible for delivery of the message to such person, you may not copy or deliver this message to anyone, and you should destroy it and kindly notify the sender by reply email. Information in this message that does not relate to the official business of Weatherbeeta must be treated as neither given nor endorsed by Weatherbeeta. Weatherbeeta, its employees, contractors or associates shall not be liable for direct, indirect or consequential loss arising from transmission of this message or any attachments