Re: cannot create function that uses variable table name

As per Matthew Nuzum's post
My query is very similar...

I need sql functions to update the database. If I specify the filename
etc they work. BUT that leads to 6 functions which are exactly the same
apart from the file they update.

1) why can't I use a variable name and
2) could someone please point me towards some examples of EXECUTE if
thats the only way to do it?

my example is:
CREATE FUNCTION retire(varchar, varchar, int4) returns int4 AS'
BEGIN
UPDATE $1 SET "Retired" = 'true' WHERE $2 = $3;
SELECT (whatever to return the int4);
END;'
Language 'plpgsql';

which has: parse error at or near "true"

($1 is the filename, $2 is the fieldname, $3 is the fieldvalue and
"Retired" is a boolean field in each of the files)

Thanks
Beth