The PostgreSQL 9.0 Reference Manual - Volume 1A

The PostgreSQL 9.0 Reference Manual - Volume 1A - SQL Language Reference
by The PostgreSQL Global Development Group
Paperback (6"x9"), 454 pages
ISBN 9781906966041
RRP £14.95 ($19.95)

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PostgreSQL 9.0 Reference Manual
Volume 1A

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7.5 Binary String Functions and Operators

This section describes functions and operators for examining and manipulating values of type bytea.

SQL defines some string functions that use key words, rather than commas, to separate arguments. Details are in Table 7-8. PostgreSQL also provides versions of these functions that use the regular function invocation syntax (see Table 7-9).

Table 7-8: SQL Binary String Functions and Operators

Function	Return Type	Description
`string \|\| string`	`bytea`	String concatenation e.g. `E'\\\\Post'::bytea \|\| E'\\047gres\\000'::bytea` => `\\Post'gres\000`
`octet_length(string)`	`int`	Number of bytes in binary string e.g. `octet_length(E'jo\\000se'::bytea)` => `5`
`overlay(string placing string from int [for int])`	`bytea`	Replace substring e.g. `overlay(E'Th\\000omas'::bytea placing E'\\002\\003'::bytea from 2 for 3)` => `T\\002\\003mas`
`position(substring in string)`	`int`	Location of specified substring e.g. `position(E'\\000om'::bytea in E'Th\\000omas'::bytea)` => `3`
`substring(string [from int] [for int])`	`bytea`	Extract substring e.g. `substring(E'Th\\000omas'::bytea from 2 for 3)` => `h\000o`
`trim([both] bytes from string)`	`bytea`	Remove the longest string containing only the bytes in `bytes` from the start and end of `string` e.g. `trim(E'\\000'::bytea from E'\\000Tom\\000'::bytea)` => `Tom`

Additional binary string manipulation functions are available and are listed in Table 7-9. Some of them are used internally to implement the SQL-standard string functions listed in Table 7-8.

Table 7-9: Other Binary String Functions

Function	Return Type	Description
`btrim(string bytea, bytes bytea)`	`bytea`	Remove the longest string consisting only of bytes in `bytes` from the start and end of `string` e.g. `btrim(E'\\000trim\\000'::bytea, E'\\000'::bytea)` => `trim`
`decode(string text, type text)`	`bytea`	Decode binary string from `string` previously encoded with `encode`. Parameter type is same as in `encode`. e.g. `decode(E'123\\000456', 'escape')` => `123\000456`
`encode(string bytea, type text)`	`text`	Encode binary string to ASCII-only representation. Supported types are: `base64`, `hex`, `escape`. e.g. `encode(E'123\\000456'::bytea, 'escape')` => `123\000456`
`get_bit(string, offset)`	`int`	Extract bit from string e.g. `get_bit(E'Th\\000omas'::bytea, 45)` => `1`
`get_byte(string, offset)`	`int`	Extract byte from string e.g. `get_byte(E'Th\\000omas'::bytea, 4)` => `109`
`length(string)`	`int`	Length of binary string e.g. `length(E'jo\\000se'::bytea)` => `5`
`md5(string)`	`text`	Calculates the MD5 hash of `string`, returning the result in hexadecimal e.g. `md5(E'Th\\000omas'::bytea)` => `8ab2d3c9689aaf18 b4958c334c82d8b1`
`set_bit(string, offset, newvalue)`	`bytea`	Set bit in string e.g. `set_bit(E'Th\\000omas'::bytea, 45, 0)` => `Th\000omAs`
`set_byte(string, offset, newvalue)`	`bytea`	Set byte in string e.g. `set_byte(E'Th\\000omas'::bytea, 4, 64)` => `Th\000o@as`

get_byte and set_byte number the first byte of a binary string as byte 0. get_bit and set_bit number bits from the right within each byte; for example bit 0 is the least significant bit of the first byte, and bit 15 is the most significant bit of the second byte.

The PostgreSQL 9.0 Reference Manual - Volume 1A - SQL Language Reference

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