On Tue, 2012-09-04 at 21:58 -0400, David Johnston wrote: > On Sep 4, 2012, at 21:39, Sergio Basurto <sbasu...@soft-gator.com> wrote: > > > I am using regexp_matches in a function like this > > > > create or replace function test (v_string in text) returns varchar as > > $$ > > declare > > i_strings text[]; > > i_string text[]; > > > > i_strings := > > regexp_matches(v_string,E'[a-zA-Z0-9:\\s\\-\\.#%]*:[A-Za-z0-9\\s\\-\\.#%]+','g'); > > You can store a single array value into i_strings. It does not magically > convert a multi-row result into an array. You can use ARRAY_AGG to do so or > execute the query directly as part of the loop while using a "record" > variable to store the current row's value(s). > > > > > -- Then I use the results > > foreach i_string slice 1 in array i_strings > > loop > > raise notice 'row = %',i_string; > > end loop; > > > > when I run the function like this: > > > > select test('1:Warehouse1;2:Warehouse2;'); > > > > postgresql complains: > > ERROR: query "SELECT > > regexp_matches(v_string,E'[a-zA-Z0-9:\\s\\-\\.#%]*:[A-Za-z0-9\\s\\-\\.#%]+','g')" > > returned more than one row > > > > Why postgres is sending the ERROR? > > > > Off course I am expecting more than one row!, that's why is in a foreach > > loop in the first place. > > > > If I run: > > select > > regexp_matches('1:Warehouse1;2:Warehouse2;',E'[a-zA-Z0-9:\\s\\-\\.#%]*:[A-Za-z0-9\\s\\-\\.#%]+','g'); > > regexp_matches > > ---------------- > > {1:Warehouse1} > > {2:Warehouse2} > > (2 rows) > > > > I am doing something wrong? > > Note that because you do not use grouping in your expression there is only a > single array "cell" in each row - but there could be more than one in which > case your for-each above would effectively loop through each sub-component of > the match. > > > > > Regards, > > > > David J. >
Thank you David for all your help, I got it working finally thanks to your explanation, so the code that works for me is: create or replace function test (v_string in text) returns varchar as $$ declare i_strings refcursor := null; i_string text[]; i_query text; begin i_query := 'select regexp_matches('''||v_string||''',E''[a-zA-Z0-9:\ \s\\-\\.#%]*:[A-Za-z0-9\\s\\-\\.#%]+'',''g'')'; open i_strings for execute i_query; if i_strings is not null then loop fetch i_strings into i_string; exit when not found; raise notice 'row = %',i_string; end loop; close i_strings; end if; return 0; end; $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql; Thanks again David. Kind Regards,