how to make sure that trigger generated value is being returned? - sql

Question

I have this INSERT query, which purpose is to insert the one row in my database.
Similarly I also have a INSERT query which insert multiple rows.
One of the columns in the table is generated after the values has been generated, since it combines a set of column values to construct a name. The name itself it generated from a Trigger, and its triggered After insert, since the column values has to exist for me to generate the name.
my problem now is when I insert one row or multiple rows, I want to know the the generated column value, but when I return it, it states its null?
#$"INSERT INTO registration_table (id, ...,)
VALUES (1,...,)
RETURNING row_id, name;";
which in return gives me an id the one I inserted, but the not actual name but instead I get null..
The trigger is pretty straight forward
CREATE TRIGGER name_insert_trigger
AFTER INSERT
ON registration_table
REFERENCING NEW TABLE AS new_inserts
FOR EACH STATEMENT
WHEN (pg_trigger_depth() = 0)
EXECUTE PROCEDURE registration_entry_name();
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION registration_entry_name()
RETURNS trigger AS
$$
DECLARE
BEGIN
UPDATE registration_table
SET name = |Pattern| -- This one being the actual name generated..
FROM new_inserts
WHERE new_inserts.row_id = registration_table.row_id;
RETURN null;
END;
$$
LANGUAGE plpgsql;
but the insert query above does not return the name?
why not?

Answer 1

You actually need a BEFORE trigger, your data values will be there. The designation of Before and After very often causes misconceptions especially of row level triggers. The terms do not indicate their timing in relation to the DML. I have found it useful to think of them as "before final data values are set" and "after final data values are set" but both run before the invoking DML completes (for now we will bypass deferred triggers). Lets look at inserts. When the before row trigger fires the NEW row contains the values at that point for every column in the row, any value not specified in the statement will be null or contain the specified default if any. Before row triggers can can change any column. After row triggers cannot change columns, if present any change is ignored.
Your description and code imply you need to combine a couple columns to generate the content of another. Since you did not specify exactly that I will build an example and demo.
create table users ( usr_id integer generated always as identity
, lname text not null
, fname text not null
, full_name text not null
) ;
create or replace
function users_bir()
returns trigger
language plpgsql
as $$
begin
if new.full_name is null
then
new.full_name = trim(new.fname) || ' ' || trim(new.lname);
end if;
return new;
end;
$$;
create trigger users_bir_trg
before insert on users
for each row
execute procedure users_bir();
insert into users(fname, lname)
values ( 'George', 'Henery')
, ( 'Samatha', 'van Horm');
insert into users(fname, lname, full_name)
values ( 'Wacky', 'Warriors','Not so tough guys');
This setup allows the full_name to be specified or generated. If only generation is desired remove the IF leaving only the assignment statement. Even better if you have Postgres 12 or higher just define the the column as a generated column. This is also in the demo.