From: Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>
To: Chamath Sajeewa <csgsajeewa@gmail.com>
cc: pgsql-novice@lists.postgresql.org
Subject: Re: PGSQL returning into in insert statement
In-reply-to: 
 <CACpofegcG+Ke2r4yoCpwRKPnV8r+fiGfB1w=ur4M3KHvTFKkpg@mail.gmail.com>
References: 
 <CACpofegcG+Ke2r4yoCpwRKPnV8r+fiGfB1w=ur4M3KHvTFKkpg@mail.gmail.com>
Comments: In-reply-to Chamath Sajeewa <csgsajeewa@gmail.com>
	message dated "Thu, 30 Jul 2020 08:16:00 +0530"
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-ID: <1352565.1596078339.1@sss.pgh.pa.us>
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2020 23:05:39 -0400
Message-ID: <1352566.1596078339@sss.pgh.pa.us>
Precedence: bulk

Chamath Sajeewa <csgsajeewa@gmail.com> writes:
> I want to use "returning into" in insert statement. I tried below,

> insert into test_table(key,value) values('key1',5) returning value into
> returnvalue;

> and below error occurred- syntax error at or near "into".

That is perfectly legit syntax within a plpgsql function, but it
would produce the mentioned syntax error if you tried to use it
directly at the SQL level.  So I conclude that you're fuzzy about
the difference between SQL and plpgsql.  You can use plpgsql
statements within plpgsql-language function definitions, and
within DO blocks.  But not as plain SQL.  (Plain SQL has no concept
of variables either, so "into returnvalue" makes no sense there
anyway.)

			regards, tom lane