37.24. element_types
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37.24. element_types

The view element_types contains the data type descriptors of the elements of arrays. When a table column, composite-type attribute, domain, function parameter, or function return value is defined to be of an array type, the respective information schema view only contains ARRAY in the column data_type. To obtain information on the element type of the array, you can join the respective view with this view. For example, to show the columns of a table with data types and array element types, if applicable, you could do: 

SELECT c.column_name, c.data_type, e.data_type AS element_type
FROM information_schema.columns c LEFT JOIN information_schema.element_types e
     ON ((c.table_catalog, c.table_schema, c.table_name, 'TABLE', c.dtd_identifier)
       = (e.object_catalog, e.object_schema, e.object_name, e.object_type, e.collection_type_identifier))
WHERE c.table_schema = '...' AND c.table_name = '...'
ORDER BY c.ordinal_position;

This view only includes objects that the current user has access to, by way of being the owner or having some privilege.

Table 37.22. element_types Columns

Column Type

Description

object_catalog sql_identifier

Name of the database that contains the object that uses the array being described (always the current database)

object_schema sql_identifier

Name of the schema that contains the object that uses the array being described

object_name sql_identifier

Name of the object that uses the array being described

object_type character_data

The type of the object that uses the array being described: one of TABLE (the array is used by a column of that table), USER-DEFINED TYPE (the array is used by an attribute of that composite type), DOMAIN (the array is used by that domain), ROUTINE (the array is used by a parameter or the return data type of that function).

collection_type_identifier sql_identifier

The identifier of the data type descriptor of the array being described. Use this to join with the dtd_identifier columns of other information schema views.

data_type character_data

Data type of the array elements, if it is a built-in type, else USER-DEFINED (in that case, the type is identified in udt_name and associated columns).

character_maximum_length cardinal_number

Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL

character_octet_length cardinal_number

Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL

character_set_catalog sql_identifier

Applies to a feature not available in PostgreSQL

character_set_schema sql_identifier

Applies to a feature not available in PostgreSQL

character_set_name sql_identifier

Applies to a feature not available in PostgreSQL

collation_catalog sql_identifier

Name of the database containing the collation of the element type (always the current database), null if default or the data type of the element is not collatable

collation_schema sql_identifier

Name of the schema containing the collation of the element type, null if default or the data type of the element is not collatable

collation_name sql_identifier

Name of the collation of the element type, null if default or the data type of the element is not collatable

numeric_precision cardinal_number

Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL

numeric_precision_radix cardinal_number

Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL

numeric_scale cardinal_number

Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL

datetime_precision cardinal_number

Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL

interval_type character_data

Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL

interval_precision cardinal_number

Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL

domain_default character_data

Not yet implemented

udt_catalog sql_identifier

Name of the database that the data type of the elements is defined in (always the current database)

udt_schema sql_identifier

Name of the schema that the data type of the elements is defined in

udt_name sql_identifier

Name of the data type of the elements

scope_catalog sql_identifier

Applies to a feature not available in PostgreSQL

scope_schema sql_identifier

Applies to a feature not available in PostgreSQL

scope_name sql_identifier

Applies to a feature not available in PostgreSQL

maximum_cardinality cardinal_number

Always null, because arrays always have unlimited maximum cardinality in PostgreSQL

dtd_identifier sql_identifier

An identifier of the data type descriptor of the element. This is currently not useful.


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