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Message-ID: <a148d02f-a8db-47dd-bedb-8ecd44a3c211@aklaver.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:28:20 -0800
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Subject: Re: Using COPY via pg_background extension
To: Oleg Dushin <oleg.dushin@pbs-software.com>,
 pgsql-general@lists.postgresql.org
References: <001901dca5a8$6fdc2760$4f947620$@pbs-software.com>
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From: Adrian Klaver <adrian.klaver@aklaver.com>
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On 2/24/26 8:13 AM, Oleg Dushin wrote:
> Hello everyone,
> 
> I couldn't find anything on this topic in the mailing lists or in the 
> documentation for the ‘pg_background’ extension.
> 
> https://github.com/vibhorkum/pg_background?tab=readme-ov-file#known- 
> limitations
> 
> Perhaps I overlooked something.
> 
> My question is: Is it possible to use the COPY protocol in combination 
> with pg_background?
> 
> More specifically, is it possible to load data from a file into a table 
> via background worker process?
> 
> COPY country FROM ‘/usr1/proj/bray/sql/country_data’;
> 
> Would the following call or something similar be possible and achieve 
> the desired result??
> 
> pg_background_launch_v2(‘COPY country FROM ’/usr1/proj/bray/sql/ 
> country_data');

What happens when you try?

Though be aware that COPY needs server user access to the file.

If there is an error I would suggest reporting it here:

https://github.com/vibhorkum/pg_background/issues

> 
> https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/sql-copy.html
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
> Oleg
> 


-- 
Adrian Klaver
adrian.klaver@aklaver.com