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 <165462669652.573549.16368658459297802851@wrigleys.postgresql.org>
From: "David G. Johnston" <david.g.johnston@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Jun 2022 13:47:14 -0700
Message-ID: 
 <CAKFQuwa6JQ9kBTOnCALcPOSqvAr7_xtT00ox5KD98n-AXn+7pA@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Mention RETURNING ... INTO target
To: s@xss.de, Pg Docs <pgsql-docs@lists.postgresql.org>
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n Tue, Jun 7, 2022 at 1:30 PM PG Doc comments form <noreply@postgresql.org>
wrote:

> The following documentation comment has been logged on the website:
>
> Page: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/14/sql-insert.html
> Description:
>
> It looks like INSERT INTO ... RETURNING allows defining a target for the
> returned values like SELECT ... INTO does.
>
> This could be mentioned in the synopsis, or at least in the description of
> "output_expression", maybe even garnished with an example.
>
>
That isn't how it works.  RETURNING simply turns INSERT into a result set
producing SQL Command.  And SQL doesn't have a concept of "target"
(variables) in the sense you are thinking. pg/pgsql does, allowing result
set data to be placed into variables.

If you look you'll notice a corresponding lack of "INTO" on the SELECT
Command reference page as well, for the same reason.

David J.

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"fon=
t-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style=3D"font-family:Arial,Helve=
tica,sans-serif">n Tue, Jun 7, 2022 at 1:30 PM PG Doc comments form &lt;</s=
pan><a href=3D"mailto:noreply@postgresql.org" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"fo=
nt-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">noreply@postgresql.org</a><span style=
=3D"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">&gt; wrote:</span><br></div></d=
iv><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_q=
uote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,2=
04);padding-left:1ex">The following documentation comment has been logged o=
n the website:<br>
<br>
Page: <a href=3D"https://www.postgresql.org/docs/14/sql-insert.html" rel=3D=
"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://www.postgresql.org/docs/14/sql-inser=
t.html</a><br>
Description:<br>
<br>
It looks like INSERT INTO ... RETURNING allows defining a target for the<br=
>
returned values like SELECT ... INTO does. <br>
<br>
This could be mentioned in the synopsis, or at least in the description of<=
br>
&quot;output_expression&quot;, maybe even garnished with an example.<br><br=
></blockquote><div><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-fam=
ily:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">That isn&#39;t how it works.=C2=A0 RETURNIN=
G simply turns INSERT into a result set producing SQL Command.=C2=A0 And SQ=
L doesn&#39;t have a concept of &quot;target&quot; (variables) in the sense=
 you are thinking. pg/pgsql does, allowing result set data to be placed int=
o variables.</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:arial,h=
elvetica,sans-serif"><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-f=
amily:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">If you look you&#39;ll notice a correspon=
ding lack of &quot;INTO&quot; on the SELECT Command reference page as well,=
 for the same reason.</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-famil=
y:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=
=3D"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">David J.</div><div class=3D"gma=
il_default" style=3D"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><br></div></di=
v></div>
</div>

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