SELECT INTO

Description

SELECT INTO creates a table based on the query result and inserts data retrieved by the query into the new table.

Different from SELECT, data is not returned to the client. The table columns have the same names and data types as the output columns of SELECT.

Precautions

CREATE TABLE AS provides functions similar to SELECT INTO in functions and provides a superset of functions provided by SELECT INTO. You are advised to use CREATE TABLE AS, because SELECT INTO cannot be used in a stored procedure.

Syntax

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[ WITH [ RECURSIVE ] with_query [, ...] ]
SELECT [ ALL | DISTINCT [ ON ( expression [, ...] ) ] ]
    { * | {expression [ [ AS ] output_name ]} [, ...] }
    INTO [ UNLOGGED ] [ TABLE ] new_table
    [ FROM from_item [, ...] ]
    [ WHERE condition ]
    [ GROUP BY expression [, ...] ]
    [ HAVING condition [, ...] ]
    [ WINDOW {window_name AS ( window_definition )} [, ...] ]
    [ { UNION | INTERSECT | EXCEPT | MINUS } [ ALL | DISTINCT ] select ]
    [ ORDER BY {expression [ [ ASC | DESC | USING operator ] | nlssort_expression_clause ] [ NULLS { FIRST | LAST } ]} [, ...] ]
    [ LIMIT { count | ALL } ]
    [ OFFSET start [ ROW | ROWS ] ]
    [ FETCH { FIRST | NEXT } [ count ] { ROW | ROWS } ONLY ]
    [ {FOR { UPDATE | SHARE } [ OF table_name [, ...] ] [ NOWAIT | WAIT N]} [...] ];

Parameters

• new_table

  new_table specifies the name of the new table.

• UNLOGGED

  Specifies that the table is created as an unlogged table. Data written to unlogged tables is not written to the WALs, which makes them considerably faster than ordinary tables. However, it is also insecure. After the database is restarted due to a conflict or abnormal shutdown, the data in the unlogged table is cleared. Contents of an unlogged table are also not replicated to standby nodes. Any indexes created on an unlogged table are automatically unlogged as well.

  • Usage scenario: Unlogged tables do not ensure data security. Users can back up data before using unlogged tables; for example, users should back up the data before a system upgrade.
  • Troubleshooting: If data is missing in the indexes of unlogged tables due to an abnormal shutdown or other unexpected operations, users should rebuild indexes with errors.

• INTO [ UNLOGGED ] [ TABLE ] new_table

  Specifies that the table is created as an unlogged table. Data written to unlogged tables is not written to the WALs, which makes them considerably faster than ordinary tables. However, it is also insecure. After the database is restarted due to a conflict or abnormal shutdown, the data in the unlogged table is cleared. Contents of an unlogged table are also not replicated to standby nodes. Any indexes created on an unlogged table are automatically unlogged as well.

  new_table specifies the name of the new table.

For details about other parameters of SELECT INTO, see Parameters in "SELECT."

Examples

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-- Create a schema.
openGauss=# CREATE SCHEMA tpcds;

-- Create the tpcds.reason table.
openGauss=# CREATE TABLE tpcds.reason
(
  r_reason_sk      integer,
  r_reason_id      character(16),
  r_reason_desc    character(100)
);

-- Insert multiple records into the table.
openGauss=# INSERT INTO tpcds.reason values(1,'AAAAAAAABAAAAAAA','reason 1'),(2,'AAAAAAAABAAAAAAA','reason 2'),(3,'AAAAAAAABAAAAAAA','reason 3'),(4,'AAAAAAAABAAAAAAA','reason 4'),(4,'AAAAAAAABAAAAAAA','reason 5'),(4,'AAAAAAAACAAAAAAA','reason 6'),(5,'AAAAAAAACAAAAAAA','reason 7');

-- Add the values that are less than 5 in the r_reason_sk column of the tpcds.reason table to the new table.
openGauss=# SELECT * INTO tpcds.reason_t1 FROM tpcds.reason WHERE r_reason_sk < 5;
INSERT 0 6

-- Drop the table.
openGauss=# DROP TABLE tpcds.reason_t1, tpcds.reason;

-- Drop the schema.
openGauss=# DROP SCHEMA tpcds CASCADE;

Helpful Links

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