| Goal | This query detects internal inconsistency within individual database objects (user-defined routines, views, materialized views). It flags objects that utilize both the standard concatenation operator (||) and variadic concatenation functions (concat() or concat_ws()) within the same definition body. Mixing null-unsafe operators (||) with null-safe functions (concat) in a single routine suggests a lack of coherent logic or an incomplete refactoring effort, potentially leading to confusing behavior regarding NULL handling. |
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| Notes | Refers to the column pg_proc.prokind and thus works starting from PostgreSQL 11. The query uses system information function pg_get_viewdef to get the view subquery pretty printed, i.e., without excessive brackets. The query does not consider the routines that are a part of an extension. In the returned body of subquery of view/materialized view/routine the query replaces each newline character with the line break (br) tag for the better readability in case the query result is displayed in a web browser. There could be multiple routines with the same name but with different parameters in the same schema (overloading). Thus, for the unique identification of the routine it is necessary to present also its parameters in addition to the schema name and routine name. |
| Type | Problem detection Each row in the result could represent a flaw in the design |
| Reliability | Medium Medium number of false-positive results |
| License | MIT (opens in new tab) |
| Fixing Suggestion | Try to be consistent. Concat can be used to add spaces between textual components in case of concatenating the textual components. For instance: concat('a' || ' ', 'b') => concat('a',' ','b') |
| Data Source | INFORMATION_SCHEMA+system catalog |
| SQL Query |
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Collections
This query belongs to the following collections:
Find problems automatically
Queries, that results point to problems in the database. Each query in the collection produces an initial assessment. However, a human reviewer has the final say as to whether there is a problem or not .
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Find problems automatically | Queries, that results point to problems in the database. Each query in the collection produces an initial assessment. However, a human reviewer has the final say as to whether there is a problem or not . |
Categories
This query is classified under the following categories:
Derived tables
Queries of this category provide information about the derived tables (views, materialized views), which are used to implement virtual data layer.
Does not work in some earlier PostgreSQL version
Queries of this category provide information that was not available in some earlier PostgreSQL version
System-defined functions
Queries of this category provide information about the use of system-defined functions.
User-defined routines
Queries of this category provide information about the user-defined routines
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Derived tables | Queries of this category provide information about the derived tables (views, materialized views), which are used to implement virtual data layer. |
| Does not work in some earlier PostgreSQL version | Queries of this category provide information that was not available in some earlier PostgreSQL version |
| System-defined functions | Queries of this category provide information about the use of system-defined functions. |
| User-defined routines | Queries of this category provide information about the user-defined routines |
Further reading and related materials: