Inputting columns of data

[C G]

Dear All,

I have a text file with data like:
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
i.e. so I have three columns of numbers.

I wish to put this data into a table. However, I do not want it to take up
three rows, rather only a single row and a single column. I was think
something like this

CREATE TABLE t1(data numeric[]);
INSERT INTO TABLE t1 VALUES ('{1 4 7, 2 5 8, 3 6 9}')

but this does not work.

What's the best way of approaching this problem? All the files I'll put into
the table will not have the same number of columns, or be the same length. I
would only like to access a single column of data, but never a single
number.

Many thanks

Colin

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[Richard Huxton]

On Monday 16 February 2004 15:46, C G wrote:

Dear All,

I have a text file with data like:
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
i.e. so I have three columns of numbers.

I wish to put this data into a table. However, I do not want it to take up
three rows, rather only a single row and a single column. I was think
something like this

CREATE TABLE t1(data numeric[]);
INSERT INTO TABLE t1 VALUES ('{1 4 7, 2 5 8, 3 6 9}')

but this does not work.
I'm not sure what you thought it would do - this is supposed to be a three
element array of what type?
Oh - you don't need the "TABLE" on the insert either.
What's the best way of approaching this problem? All the files I'll put
into the table will not have the same number of columns, or be the same
length. I would only like to access a single column of data, but never a
single number.

Define your table:
CREATE TABLE t1 (data text);
INSERT INTO t1 VALUES ('1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9');

That'll store pretty much anything you like. If you need null values you might
want to investigate bytea type.

On the other hand, that's a poor way of using a relational database - can you
explain what you are trying to achieve? Someone might have a better way to do
it.
--
Richard Huxton
Archonet Ltd

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