Re: COPY data into a table with a SERIAL column?

On 10/16/2014 10:33 AM, Steve Wampler wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> This is with Postgresql 9.3.5.
>
> I'm looking at using a COPY command (via jdbc) to do bulk inserts into
> a table that
> includes a BIGSERIAL column. Is there a way to mark the data in that
> column so it gets assigned a new value on entry - akin to the use of
> 'default'
> in an INSERT? Some of the rows have values for the serial column,
> others
> don't.
>
> Or is the only way to use COPY for this task:
>
> COPY table_name (columnnameA, columnnameB, columnnameD) FROM source;
>
> where the serial column name is omitted? This wouldn't preserve the
> values
> for the serial column on rows that have one already.
>
> Thanks!
> Steve
Doesn't this guarantee collision at some point?

I might add a column to the target table which would contain the
"foreign" serial id and give all records the "local" serial. Update
local to foreign iff safe and desired.