Re: How to cast to regprocedure with OUT parameters

Thomas Kellerer <spam_eater(at)gmx(dot)net> writes:
> Hello,
> pg_get_functiondef() can be used quite easily by using a cast to regprocedure, like this:

> select pg_get_functiondef('public.foo(text, text, text)'::regprocedure);

> However if the function is defined with an out parameter like this:

> create or replace function foo(p1 text, p2 out text, p3 text)
> ....

> the above cast does not work. Postgres returns an error: "function public.foo(text,text,text) does not exist.

> 'public.foo(text, OUT text, text)'::regprocedure does not work either.

> So, what should be the right format to write the string literal that can be cast to the correct regprocedure?

Leave out the OUT parameters altogether:

select pg_get_functiondef('public.foo(text, text)'::regprocedure);

Only IN parameters contribute to the function's identity; OUT parameters
are just a variant method of specifying its return type.

Personally I wouldn't randomly mix IN and OUT like that, but put all the
OUT parameters at the end of the list. It seems too confusing otherwise.

regards, tom lane