I think we should apply it.  This is cleanup time for patches already
applied too.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Joe Conway wrote:
> OK, so maybe it is a "hold for 7.5" item, but I think it could be argued 
> that it is a (relatively simple and safe) fix for a relatively big 
> deficiency with the recently committed plpgsql polymorphism.
> 
> By way of explanation, the new plpgsql polymorphism capability means 
> that a function can be declared like this:
> 
> CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION foo(anyelement) returns anyarray AS '
>      function body
> ' language 'plpgsql';
> 
> The argument and return type are determined at function call time, and
> in this example the return type is constrained to be an array of the
> argument type.
> 
> Inside the the function body, you can access the actual function call
> time *argument* types to create local variables by using the %type
> construct, e.g.:
> 
>      v_myvar $1%type;
> 
> However, there is currently is *no way* to create a variable based on 
> the return type, severely limiting the utility of polymorphic plpgsql 
> functions. Because the polymorphic plpgsql patch was submitted just 
> before the freeze (a few hours), I didn't have enough experience 
> actually trying to write useful polymorphic plpgsql functions to know 
> this would be a deficiency.
> 
> So what does the attached patch do? It adds an additional variable to 
> any function with a polymorphic return type (only), called $0, which 
> represents the actual function call time return type. With $0 defined, 
> now you can declare a local variable inside the function body using 
> $0%type (it isn't useful for anything else, and is set to NULL for good 
> measure). For example:
> 
> create or replace function greatest(anyarray)
> returns anyelement as '
> declare
>     v_arr alias for $1;
>     v_lb int;
>     v_ub int;
>     v_greatest $0%type;
> begin
>     v_lb := array_lower(v_arr,1);
>     v_ub := array_upper(v_arr,1);
>     v_greatest := v_arr[v_lb];
>     for i in v_lb + 1 .. v_ub loop
>       if v_arr[i] > v_greatest then
>         v_greatest := v_arr[i];
>       end if;
>     end loop;
>     return v_greatest;
> end;
> ' language 'plpgsql';
> 
> create table g(f1 text, f2 text, f3 text, f4 text, f5 text, f6 text);
> insert into g values ('a','b','c','d','e','f');
> insert into g values ('z','x','c','v','b','n');
> create table h(f1 int, f2 int, f3 int);
> insert into h values (42,6,39);
> insert into h values (2,3,4);
> 
> regression=# select greatest(array[f1,f2]) from g;
>     greatest
> ----------
>     b
>     z
> (2 rows)
> 
> regression=# select greatest(array[f1,f2,f3,f4,f5,f6]) from g;
>     greatest
> ----------
>     f
>     z
> (2 rows)
> 
> regression=# select greatest(array[f1,f2]) from h;
>     greatest
> ----------
>           42
>            3
> (2 rows)
> 
> regression=# select greatest(array[f1,f2,f3]) from h;
>     greatest
> ----------
>           42
>            4
> (2 rows)
> 
> The entire patch is less than 60 lines, and it is completely localized 
> to the polymorphic return value case. If accepted, I will of course 
> follow with the needed documentation (none of the polymorphic stuff is 
> documented yet anyway).
> 
> The $0 variable could be extended later to the same functionality for a 
> plpgsql function returning record, but I wanted to keep the patch 
> focused so that it might be allowed into 7.4 as a "fix".
> 
> If there are no objections, please apply. Otherwise please hold for 7.5.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Joe
> 

> Index: src/pl/plpgsql/src/pl_comp.c
> ===================================================================
> RCS file: /opt/src/cvs/pgsql-server/src/pl/plpgsql/src/pl_comp.c,v
> retrieving revision 1.59
> diff -c -r1.59 pl_comp.c
> *** src/pl/plpgsql/src/pl_comp.c      1 Jul 2003 21:47:09 -0000       1.59
> --- src/pl/plpgsql/src/pl_comp.c      3 Jul 2003 02:13:59 -0000
> ***************
> *** 354,359 ****
> --- 354,395 ----
>                               function->fn_rettyplen = typeStruct->typlen;
>                               function->fn_rettypelem = typeStruct->typelem;
>                               perm_fmgr_info(typeStruct->typinput, 
> &(function->fn_retinput));
> + 
> +                             /*
> +                              * install $0 reference, but only for polymorphic
> +                              * return types
> +                              */
> +                             if (procStruct->prorettype == ANYARRAYOID ||
> +                                     procStruct->prorettype == ANYELEMENTOID)
> +                             {
> +                                     char            buf[32];
> + 
> +                                     /* name for variable */
> +                                     snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "$%d", 0);
> + 
> +                                     /*
> +                                      * Normal return values get a var node
> +                                      */
> +                                     var = malloc(sizeof(PLpgSQL_var));
> +                                     memset(var, 0, sizeof(PLpgSQL_var));
> + 
> +                                     var->dtype = PLPGSQL_DTYPE_VAR;
> +                                     var->refname = strdup(buf);
> +                                     var->lineno = 0;
> +                                     var->datatype = build_datatype(typeTup, -1);
> +                                     var->isconst = true;
> +                                     var->notnull = false;
> +                                     var->default_val = NULL;
> + 
> +                                     /* preset to NULL */
> +                                     var->value = 0;
> +                                     var->isnull = true;
> +                                     var->freeval = false;
> + 
> +                                     plpgsql_adddatum((PLpgSQL_datum *) var);
> +                                     plpgsql_ns_additem(PLPGSQL_NSTYPE_VAR, 
> var->varno,
> +                                                                        
> var->refname);
> +                             }
>                       }
>                       ReleaseSysCache(typeTup);
>   

> 
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-- 
  Bruce Momjian                        |  http://candle.pha.pa.us
  [EMAIL PROTECTED]               |  (610) 359-1001
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