PostgreSQL:how to update rows in CTE - sql

Question

am running PostgreSQL 9.2.
below given is a sample of my huge and uglyquery
with cte as(
select ....... from aTable
),cte1 as (
select ..... from bTable inner join cte using(anID)
),update_cte as(
update cte set aField=(select somthing from cte1)
)
select * from cte
i need to create a view with the final result.
while executing the above am getting an error which is below.
ERROR: relation "cte" does not exist
I know am doing something bad.hope you can understand what am trying to achieve from the above query.
So please suggest any alternative method for it.
Replies are much appreciated.
Note : the actual query

Answer 1

with cte as(
select ....... from aTable
),update_cte as(
update cte set aField=(select somthing from cte1)
)
You can't do that.
An UPDATE may not reference a CTE term in PostgreSQL, as CTEs are materialized. They aren't just views over the underlying data. (That's sometimes really annoying, but that's how it is).
You can:
CREATE TEMPORARY VIEW someview AS SELECT ... FROM atable;
UPDATE someview SET afield = ...
if you want; that'll work on newer PostgreSQL versions that support automatically updatable views. I think 9.2 does.
Otherwise, I think you want something like:
WITH cte1 as (
select ..... from bTable inner join cte using(anID)
)
update aTable
set aField=(select somthing from cte1)
WHERE ... where clause from cte ...
RETURNING *;
but really, please don't call your CTE terms cte, cte1, etc. Give them useful, descriptive names that tell you what they are. It's like programs full of variables named a through x ... the next person who has to maintain your code, or anyone you ask for help, will not like it.