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Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 09:10:07 -0700
From: Joe Conway <mail@joeconway.com>
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To: Dennis <pg-user@calico-consulting.com>
Cc: Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>,
	postgres SQL <pgsql-sql@postgresql.org>
Subject: Re: function returning array
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Dennis wrote:
> pg 7.4.1
> 
> I should have listed the source for the function. Here is a simplified 
> parseString function and the foo that calls it.
> 
> dennis=# create or replace function parseString (varchar, varchar)
> dennis-#         RETURNS varchar[] AS '
> dennis'#         DECLARE
> dennis'#                 pParsed         varchar[];

Make that last line:
                            pParsed         varchar[] := ''{}'';

That initializes pParsed to an *empty* array. Otherwise pParsed is NULL, 
and when you attempt to extend a NULL array, e.g. "pParsed[1] = 
''blah''" you still get NULL. It is similar to this:

regression=# select NULL || 'blah';
  ?column?
----------

(1 row)

HTH,

Joe