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+<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /><title>UPDATE</title><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet.css" /><link rev="made" href="pgsql-docs@lists.postgresql.org" /><meta name="generator" content="DocBook XSL Stylesheets V1.79.1" /><link rel="prev" href="sql-unlisten.html" title="UNLISTEN" /><link rel="next" href="sql-vacuum.html" title="VACUUM" /></head><body id="docContent" class="container-fluid col-10"><div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/transitional" class="navheader"><table width="100%" summary="Navigation header"><tr><th colspan="5" align="center">UPDATE</th></tr><tr><td width="10%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="sql-unlisten.html" title="UNLISTEN">Prev</a> </td><td width="10%" align="left"><a accesskey="u" href="sql-commands.html" title="SQL Commands">Up</a></td><th width="60%" align="center">SQL Commands</th><td width="10%" align="right"><a accesskey="h" href="index.html" title="PostgreSQL 13.4 Documentation">Home</a></td><td width="10%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="sql-vacuum.html" title="VACUUM">Next</a></td></tr></table><hr></hr></div><div class="refentry" id="SQL-UPDATE"><div class="titlepage"></div><a id="id-1.9.3.182.1" class="indexterm"></a><div class="refnamediv"><h2><span class="refentrytitle">UPDATE</span></h2><p>UPDATE — update rows of a table</p></div><div class="refsynopsisdiv"><h2>Synopsis</h2><pre class="synopsis">
+[ WITH [ RECURSIVE ] <em class="replaceable"><code>with_query</code></em> [, ...] ]
+UPDATE [ ONLY ] <em class="replaceable"><code>table_name</code></em> [ * ] [ [ AS ] <em class="replaceable"><code>alias</code></em> ]
+ SET { <em class="replaceable"><code>column_name</code></em> = { <em class="replaceable"><code>expression</code></em> | DEFAULT } |
+ ( <em class="replaceable"><code>column_name</code></em> [, ...] ) = [ ROW ] ( { <em class="replaceable"><code>expression</code></em> | DEFAULT } [, ...] ) |
+ ( <em class="replaceable"><code>column_name</code></em> [, ...] ) = ( <em class="replaceable"><code>sub-SELECT</code></em> )
+ } [, ...]
+ [ FROM <em class="replaceable"><code>from_item</code></em> [, ...] ]
+ [ WHERE <em class="replaceable"><code>condition</code></em> | WHERE CURRENT OF <em class="replaceable"><code>cursor_name</code></em> ]
+ [ RETURNING * | <em class="replaceable"><code>output_expression</code></em> [ [ AS ] <em class="replaceable"><code>output_name</code></em> ] [, ...] ]
+</pre></div><div class="refsect1" id="id-1.9.3.182.5"><h2>Description</h2><p>
+ <code class="command">UPDATE</code> changes the values of the specified
+ columns in all rows that satisfy the condition. Only the columns to
+ be modified need be mentioned in the <code class="literal">SET</code> clause;
+ columns not explicitly modified retain their previous values.
+ </p><p>
+ There are two ways to modify a table using information contained in
+ other tables in the database: using sub-selects, or specifying
+ additional tables in the <code class="literal">FROM</code> clause. Which
+ technique is more appropriate depends on the specific
+ circumstances.
+ </p><p>
+ The optional <code class="literal">RETURNING</code> clause causes <code class="command">UPDATE</code>
+ to compute and return value(s) based on each row actually updated.
+ Any expression using the table's columns, and/or columns of other
+ tables mentioned in <code class="literal">FROM</code>, can be computed.
+ The new (post-update) values of the table's columns are used.
+ The syntax of the <code class="literal">RETURNING</code> list is identical to that of the
+ output list of <code class="command">SELECT</code>.
+ </p><p>
+ You must have the <code class="literal">UPDATE</code> privilege on the table,
+ or at least on the column(s) that are listed to be updated.
+ You must also have the <code class="literal">SELECT</code>
+ privilege on any column whose values are read in the
+ <em class="replaceable"><code>expressions</code></em> or
+ <em class="replaceable"><code>condition</code></em>.
+ </p></div><div class="refsect1" id="id-1.9.3.182.6"><h2>Parameters</h2><div class="variablelist"><dl class="variablelist"><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>with_query</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
+ The <code class="literal">WITH</code> clause allows you to specify one or more
+ subqueries that can be referenced by name in the <code class="command">UPDATE</code>
+ query. See <a class="xref" href="queries-with.html" title="7.8. WITH Queries (Common Table Expressions)">Section 7.8</a> and <a class="xref" href="sql-select.html" title="SELECT"><span class="refentrytitle">SELECT</span></a>
+ for details.
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>table_name</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
+ The name (optionally schema-qualified) of the table to update.
+ If <code class="literal">ONLY</code> is specified before the table name, matching rows
+ are updated in the named table only. If <code class="literal">ONLY</code> is not
+ specified, matching rows are also updated in any tables inheriting from
+ the named table. Optionally, <code class="literal">*</code> can be specified after the
+ table name to explicitly indicate that descendant tables are included.
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>alias</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
+ A substitute name for the target table. When an alias is
+ provided, it completely hides the actual name of the table. For
+ example, given <code class="literal">UPDATE foo AS f</code>, the remainder of the
+ <code class="command">UPDATE</code> statement must refer to this table as
+ <code class="literal">f</code> not <code class="literal">foo</code>.
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>column_name</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
+ The name of a column in the table named by <em class="replaceable"><code>table_name</code></em>.
+ The column name can be qualified with a subfield name or array
+ subscript, if needed. Do not include the table's name in the
+ specification of a target column — for example,
+ <code class="literal">UPDATE table_name SET table_name.col = 1</code> is invalid.
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>expression</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
+ An expression to assign to the column. The expression can use the
+ old values of this and other columns in the table.
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><code class="literal">DEFAULT</code></span></dt><dd><p>
+ Set the column to its default value (which will be NULL if no specific
+ default expression has been assigned to it). An identity column will be
+ set to a new value generated by the associated sequence. For a
+ generated column, specifying this is permitted but merely specifies the
+ normal behavior of computing the column from its generation expression.
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>sub-SELECT</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
+ A <code class="literal">SELECT</code> sub-query that produces as many output columns
+ as are listed in the parenthesized column list preceding it. The
+ sub-query must yield no more than one row when executed. If it
+ yields one row, its column values are assigned to the target columns;
+ if it yields no rows, NULL values are assigned to the target columns.
+ The sub-query can refer to old values of the current row of the table
+ being updated.
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>from_item</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
+ A table expression allowing columns from other tables to appear in
+ the <code class="literal">WHERE</code> condition and update expressions. This
+ uses the same syntax as the <a class="link" href="sql-select.html#SQL-FROM" title="FROM Clause"><code class="literal">FROM</code></a> clause of
+ a <code class="command">SELECT</code> statement;
+ for example, an alias for the table name can be specified. Do not
+ repeat the target table as a <em class="replaceable"><code>from_item</code></em>
+ unless you intend a self-join (in which case it must appear with
+ an alias in the <em class="replaceable"><code>from_item</code></em>).
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>condition</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
+ An expression that returns a value of type <code class="type">boolean</code>.
+ Only rows for which this expression returns <code class="literal">true</code>
+ will be updated.
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>cursor_name</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
+ The name of the cursor to use in a <code class="literal">WHERE CURRENT OF</code>
+ condition. The row to be updated is the one most recently fetched
+ from this cursor. The cursor must be a non-grouping
+ query on the <code class="command">UPDATE</code>'s target table.
+ Note that <code class="literal">WHERE CURRENT OF</code> cannot be
+ specified together with a Boolean condition. See
+ <a class="xref" href="sql-declare.html" title="DECLARE"><span class="refentrytitle">DECLARE</span></a>
+ for more information about using cursors with
+ <code class="literal">WHERE CURRENT OF</code>.
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>output_expression</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
+ An expression to be computed and returned by the <code class="command">UPDATE</code>
+ command after each row is updated. The expression can use any
+ column names of the table named by <em class="replaceable"><code>table_name</code></em>
+ or table(s) listed in <code class="literal">FROM</code>.
+ Write <code class="literal">*</code> to return all columns.
+ </p></dd><dt><span class="term"><em class="replaceable"><code>output_name</code></em></span></dt><dd><p>
+ A name to use for a returned column.
+ </p></dd></dl></div></div><div class="refsect1" id="id-1.9.3.182.7"><h2>Outputs</h2><p>
+ On successful completion, an <code class="command">UPDATE</code> command returns a command
+ tag of the form
+</p><pre class="screen">
+UPDATE <em class="replaceable"><code>count</code></em>
+</pre><p>
+ The <em class="replaceable"><code>count</code></em> is the number
+ of rows updated, including matched rows whose values did not change.
+ Note that the number may be less than the number of rows that matched
+ the <em class="replaceable"><code>condition</code></em> when
+ updates were suppressed by a <code class="literal">BEFORE UPDATE</code> trigger. If
+ <em class="replaceable"><code>count</code></em> is 0, no rows were
+ updated by the query (this is not considered an error).
+ </p><p>
+ If the <code class="command">UPDATE</code> command contains a <code class="literal">RETURNING</code>
+ clause, the result will be similar to that of a <code class="command">SELECT</code>
+ statement containing the columns and values defined in the
+ <code class="literal">RETURNING</code> list, computed over the row(s) updated by the
+ command.
+ </p></div><div class="refsect1" id="id-1.9.3.182.8"><h2>Notes</h2><p>
+ When a <code class="literal">FROM</code> clause is present, what essentially happens
+ is that the target table is joined to the tables mentioned in the
+ <em class="replaceable"><code>from_item</code></em> list, and each output row of the join
+ represents an update operation for the target table. When using
+ <code class="literal">FROM</code> you should ensure that the join
+ produces at most one output row for each row to be modified. In
+ other words, a target row shouldn't join to more than one row from
+ the other table(s). If it does, then only one of the join rows
+ will be used to update the target row, but which one will be used
+ is not readily predictable.
+ </p><p>
+ Because of this indeterminacy, referencing other tables only within
+ sub-selects is safer, though often harder to read and slower than
+ using a join.
+ </p><p>
+ In the case of a partitioned table, updating a row might cause it to no
+ longer satisfy the partition constraint of the containing partition. In that
+ case, if there is some other partition in the partition tree for which this
+ row satisfies its partition constraint, then the row is moved to that
+ partition. If there is no such partition, an error will occur. Behind the
+ scenes, the row movement is actually a <code class="command">DELETE</code> and
+ <code class="command">INSERT</code> operation.
+ </p><p>
+ There is a possibility that a concurrent <code class="command">UPDATE</code> or
+ <code class="command">DELETE</code> on the row being moved will get a serialization
+ failure error. Suppose session 1 is performing an <code class="command">UPDATE</code>
+ on a partition key, and meanwhile a concurrent session 2 for which this
+ row is visible performs an <code class="command">UPDATE</code> or
+ <code class="command">DELETE</code> operation on this row. In such case,
+ session 2's <code class="command">UPDATE</code> or <code class="command">DELETE</code> will
+ detect the row movement and raise a serialization failure error (which
+ always returns with an SQLSTATE code '40001'). Applications may wish to
+ retry the transaction if this occurs. In the usual case where the table
+ is not partitioned, or where there is no row movement, session 2 would
+ have identified the newly updated row and carried out the
+ <code class="command">UPDATE</code>/<code class="command">DELETE</code> on this new row
+ version.
+ </p><p>
+ Note that while rows can be moved from local partitions to a foreign-table
+ partition (provided the foreign data wrapper supports tuple routing), they
+ cannot be moved from a foreign-table partition to another partition.
+ </p></div><div class="refsect1" id="id-1.9.3.182.9"><h2>Examples</h2><p>
+ Change the word <code class="literal">Drama</code> to <code class="literal">Dramatic</code> in the
+ column <code class="structfield">kind</code> of the table <code class="structname">films</code>:
+
+</p><pre class="programlisting">
+UPDATE films SET kind = 'Dramatic' WHERE kind = 'Drama';
+</pre><p>
+ </p><p>
+ Adjust temperature entries and reset precipitation to its default
+ value in one row of the table <code class="structname">weather</code>:
+
+</p><pre class="programlisting">
+UPDATE weather SET temp_lo = temp_lo+1, temp_hi = temp_lo+15, prcp = DEFAULT
+ WHERE city = 'San Francisco' AND date = '2003-07-03';
+</pre><p>
+ </p><p>
+ Perform the same operation and return the updated entries:
+
+</p><pre class="programlisting">
+UPDATE weather SET temp_lo = temp_lo+1, temp_hi = temp_lo+15, prcp = DEFAULT
+ WHERE city = 'San Francisco' AND date = '2003-07-03'
+ RETURNING temp_lo, temp_hi, prcp;
+</pre><p>
+ </p><p>
+ Use the alternative column-list syntax to do the same update:
+</p><pre class="programlisting">
+UPDATE weather SET (temp_lo, temp_hi, prcp) = (temp_lo+1, temp_lo+15, DEFAULT)
+ WHERE city = 'San Francisco' AND date = '2003-07-03';
+</pre><p>
+ </p><p>
+ Increment the sales count of the salesperson who manages the
+ account for Acme Corporation, using the <code class="literal">FROM</code>
+ clause syntax:
+</p><pre class="programlisting">
+UPDATE employees SET sales_count = sales_count + 1 FROM accounts
+ WHERE accounts.name = 'Acme Corporation'
+ AND employees.id = accounts.sales_person;
+</pre><p>
+ </p><p>
+ Perform the same operation, using a sub-select in the
+ <code class="literal">WHERE</code> clause:
+</p><pre class="programlisting">
+UPDATE employees SET sales_count = sales_count + 1 WHERE id =
+ (SELECT sales_person FROM accounts WHERE name = 'Acme Corporation');
+</pre><p>
+ </p><p>
+ Update contact names in an accounts table to match the currently assigned
+ salesmen:
+</p><pre class="programlisting">
+UPDATE accounts SET (contact_first_name, contact_last_name) =
+ (SELECT first_name, last_name FROM salesmen
+ WHERE salesmen.id = accounts.sales_id);
+</pre><p>
+ A similar result could be accomplished with a join:
+</p><pre class="programlisting">
+UPDATE accounts SET contact_first_name = first_name,
+ contact_last_name = last_name
+ FROM salesmen WHERE salesmen.id = accounts.sales_id;
+</pre><p>
+ However, the second query may give unexpected results
+ if <code class="structname">salesmen</code>.<code class="structfield">id</code> is not a unique key, whereas
+ the first query is guaranteed to raise an error if there are multiple
+ <code class="structfield">id</code> matches. Also, if there is no match for a particular
+ <code class="structname">accounts</code>.<code class="structfield">sales_id</code> entry, the first query
+ will set the corresponding name fields to NULL, whereas the second query
+ will not update that row at all.
+ </p><p>
+ Update statistics in a summary table to match the current data:
+</p><pre class="programlisting">
+UPDATE summary s SET (sum_x, sum_y, avg_x, avg_y) =
+ (SELECT sum(x), sum(y), avg(x), avg(y) FROM data d
+ WHERE d.group_id = s.group_id);
+</pre><p>
+ </p><p>
+ Attempt to insert a new stock item along with the quantity of stock. If
+ the item already exists, instead update the stock count of the existing
+ item. To do this without failing the entire transaction, use savepoints:
+</p><pre class="programlisting">
+BEGIN;
+-- other operations
+SAVEPOINT sp1;
+INSERT INTO wines VALUES('Chateau Lafite 2003', '24');
+-- Assume the above fails because of a unique key violation,
+-- so now we issue these commands:
+ROLLBACK TO sp1;
+UPDATE wines SET stock = stock + 24 WHERE winename = 'Chateau Lafite 2003';
+-- continue with other operations, and eventually
+COMMIT;
+</pre><p>
+ </p><p>
+ Change the <code class="structfield">kind</code> column of the table
+ <code class="structname">films</code> in the row on which the cursor
+ <code class="literal">c_films</code> is currently positioned:
+</p><pre class="programlisting">
+UPDATE films SET kind = 'Dramatic' WHERE CURRENT OF c_films;
+</pre></div><div class="refsect1" id="id-1.9.3.182.10"><h2>Compatibility</h2><p>
+ This command conforms to the <acronym class="acronym">SQL</acronym> standard, except
+ that the <code class="literal">FROM</code> and <code class="literal">RETURNING</code> clauses
+ are <span class="productname">PostgreSQL</span> extensions, as is the ability
+ to use <code class="literal">WITH</code> with <code class="command">UPDATE</code>.
+ </p><p>
+ Some other database systems offer a <code class="literal">FROM</code> option in which
+ the target table is supposed to be listed again within <code class="literal">FROM</code>.
+ That is not how <span class="productname">PostgreSQL</span> interprets
+ <code class="literal">FROM</code>. Be careful when porting applications that use this
+ extension.
+ </p><p>
+ According to the standard, the source value for a parenthesized sub-list of
+ target column names can be any row-valued expression yielding the correct
+ number of columns. <span class="productname">PostgreSQL</span> only allows the
+ source value to be a <a class="link" href="sql-expressions.html#SQL-SYNTAX-ROW-CONSTRUCTORS" title="4.2.13. Row Constructors">row
+ constructor</a> or a sub-<code class="literal">SELECT</code>. An individual column's
+ updated value can be specified as <code class="literal">DEFAULT</code> in the
+ row-constructor case, but not inside a sub-<code class="literal">SELECT</code>.
+ </p></div></div><div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/transitional" class="navfooter"><hr></hr><table width="100%" summary="Navigation footer"><tr><td width="40%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="sql-unlisten.html" title="UNLISTEN">Prev</a> </td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="u" href="sql-commands.html" title="SQL Commands">Up</a></td><td width="40%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="sql-vacuum.html" title="VACUUM">Next</a></td></tr><tr><td width="40%" align="left" valign="top">UNLISTEN </td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="h" href="index.html" title="PostgreSQL 13.4 Documentation">Home</a></td><td width="40%" align="right" valign="top"> VACUUM</td></tr></table></div></body></html> \ No newline at end of file