Question

I have a Postgresql PL/pgSQL function that has a double nested FOR loop, where I want to set column names dynamically. However I can’t find a way of accessing RECORD columns programmatically.

I’ll skip straight to an example with some code:

FOR loop_helper1 IN SELECT
  id, name1, name2, name3, nameN,
  FROM table1
  LOOP
    FOR loop_helper2 IN SELECT name FROM table2 LOOP
      -- I want to set values of columns in loop_helper1,
      -- with the column name given by loop_helper2.name
      -- An EXECUTE would not allow me to do this:
      EXECUTE 'loop_helper1.' || loop_helper2.name || ':= function_call(123);'
      -- (Eg. 'loop_helper1.name2 := function_call(123);')
      -- However, this produces: ERROR:  syntax error at or near "loop_helper1"
    END LOOP;
END LOOP;

Any ideas?

Surely there’s gotta be a way to do this, but I just can’t seem to find it. All help and suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

Answer 1

I think you probably want the function we devised under this related question.
With this function, your code fragment might look like this:

FOR loop_helper1 IN
    SELECT id, name1, name2, name3, nameN,
    FROM   table1
LOOP
    FOR loop_helper2 IN
        SELECT name
        FROM   table2
    LOOP
       loop_helper1 := public.setfield (loop_helper1
                                      ,loop_helper2.name
                                      ,function_call(123));
    END LOOP;
END LOOP;

There may be simpler ways, especially if you want to assign a whole composite type …