Is it possible for a PostgreSQL plpgsql function to not return anything? I've created a function, and I don't need it to return anything at all, as it performs a complex SQL query, and inserts the results of that query into another table (SELECT INTO ....). Thus, I have no need or interest in having the function return any output or value. Unfortunately, when I try to omit the RETURN clause of the function declaration, I can't create the function. Is it possible for a PostgreSQL plpgsql function to not return anything?
3 Answers
This doesn't directly answer your question, but I found it interesting that you don't need a RETURN clause if you have one or more OUT output parameters. That's obviously returning something, but allows you to "omit the RETURN" as you say.
Comments
No, it must at least return null. From the PostgreSQL documentation:
A trigger function must return either NULL or a record/row value having exactly the structure of the table the trigger was fired for.
2 Comments
Joshua Burns
it is perfectly acceptable to return VOID in which instance you don't have to have it return anything.
user272735
A (PL/pgSQL) function can return void, but when the function is used as a trigger function then the function has to return something.
