Received: from makus.postgresql.org (makus.postgresql.org [98.129.198.125])
	by mail.postgresql.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 90EEB13F0F81
	for <pgsql-admin@postgresql.org>; Sat, 14 Apr 2012 21:01:18 -0300 (ADT)
Received: from sss.pgh.pa.us ([66.207.139.130])
	by makus.postgresql.org with esmtp (Exim 4.72)
	(envelope-from <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>) id 1SJCu4-0002QY-85
	for pgsql-admin@postgresql.org; Sun, 15 Apr 2012 00:01:17 +0000
Received: from sss2.sss.pgh.pa.us (tgl@localhost [127.0.0.1])
	by sss.pgh.pa.us (8.14.2/8.14.2) with ESMTP id q3F013YJ019493;
	Sat, 14 Apr 2012 20:01:03 -0400 (EDT)
To: Wells Oliver <wellsoliver@gmail.com>
cc: pgsql-admin@postgresql.org
Subject: Re: Trouble w/ COPY command 
In-reply-to: 
 <CAOC+FBUmbk9RhTZTFTULBhKMGQcXfhVEqjEeqJ7PChgk3kdLRQ@mail.gmail.com>
References: 
 <CAOC+FBUmbk9RhTZTFTULBhKMGQcXfhVEqjEeqJ7PChgk3kdLRQ@mail.gmail.com>
Comments: In-reply-to Wells Oliver <wellsoliver@gmail.com>
	message dated "Sat, 14 Apr 2012 15:45:47 -0700"
Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2012 20:01:02 -0400
Message-ID: <19492.1334448062@sss.pgh.pa.us>
From: Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>
X-Pg-Spam-Score: -1.9 (-)
X-Archive-Number: 201204/73
X-Sequence-Number: 39409

Wells Oliver <wellsoliver@gmail.com> writes:
> I have CSV files blowing up because they have double quotes around numeric
> values: " 1.34" yields ERROR:  invalid input syntax for type numeric: "
> 1.34"

Is that an exact copy of the error message?  Because there are double
quotes in that error message's text; what you are showing does not
suggest that they are part of the data value.  I'm wondering about
non-visible characters myself.

> And occasionally these are empty, and you see invalid syntax for type
> numeric: " "

Well, that you're going to have to do something else about.  Possibly
you could treat the empty string as null?  (See the 'null string'
option to COPY.)

			regards, tom lane