using a stored proc that returns a result set in a complex SQL stmt

Hi,

I am trying to decide between using a temporary table or a stored proc that
returns a result set to solve a fairly complex problem, and was wondering if
Postres, when it sees a stored proc reference in a SQL, is smart enough to,
behind the scenes, create a temporary table with the results of the stored
proc such that the stored proc does not get executed multiple times within a
single query execution??

Example: suppose I had a stored proc called SP_bob that returns a result set
including the column store_no
and I wrote the following query:

select * from Order_Line as X
where not exists (select 1 from SP_bob(parm1, parm2) as Y where X.store_no =
Y.store_no)

Can I rest assured that the stored proc would only run once, or could it run
once for each row in Order_Line??

The only reason I am going down this road is because of the difficulty of
using temp tables ( i.e. needing to execute a SQL string). Does anyone know
if this requirement may be removed in the near future?

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chrisj wrote:
> I am trying to decide between using a temporary table or a stored proc that
> returns a result set to solve a fairly complex problem, and was wondering if
> Postres, when it sees a stored proc reference in a SQL, is smart enough to,
> behind the scenes, create a temporary table with the results of the stored
> proc such that the stored proc does not get executed multiple times within a
> single query execution??
>
> Example: suppose I had a stored proc called SP_bob that returns a result set
> including the column store_no
> and I wrote the following query:
>
> select * from Order_Line as X
> where not exists (select 1 from SP_bob(parm1, parm2) as Y where X.store_no =
> Y.store_no)
>
> Can I rest assured that the stored proc would only run once, or could it run
> once for each row in Order_Line??

It depends on the exact query you're running. I think in the above
example, SP_bob would only be ran once. Function volatility affects the
planners decision as well (see
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.2/interactive/xfunc-volatility.html).

> The only reason I am going down this road is because of the difficulty of
> using temp tables ( i.e. needing to execute a SQL string). Does anyone know
> if this requirement may be removed in the near future?

I don't understand what requirement you're referring to.

--
Heikki Linnakangas
EnterpriseDB http://www.enterprisedb.com

On 10/16/07, Heikki Linnakangas <heikki(at)enterprisedb(dot)com> wrote:
> > The only reason I am going down this road is because of the difficulty of
> > using temp tables ( i.e. needing to execute a SQL string). Does anyone know
> > if this requirement may be removed in the near future?
>
> I don't understand what requirement you're referring to.

I think he means creating temporary tables in stored procedures as
described for example here ->
http://svr5.postgresql.org/pgsql-sql/2007-01/msg00117.php . From what
I see at http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.3/static/release-8-3.html
the EXECUTE workaround is no longer necessary as plan invalidates upon
table schema changes.