plpgsql_check
=============
I founded this project, because I wanted to publish the code I wrote in the last two years,
when I tried to write enhanced checking for PostgreSQL upstream. It was not fully
successful - integration into upstream requires some larger plpgsql refactoring - probably
it will not be done in next years (now is Dec 2013). But written code is fully functional
and can be used in production (and it is used in production). So, I created this extension to
be available for all plpgsql developers.
If you like it and if you would to join to development of this extension, register
yourself to [postgresql extension hacking](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/postgresql-extensions-hacking)
google group.
I invite any ideas, patches, bugreports
plpgsql_check is next generation of plpgsql_lint. It allows to check source code by explicit call
plpgsql_check_function.
PostgreSQL 9.2 is required, PostgreSQL 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6 and 10 are supported
The SQL statements inside PL/pgSQL functions are checked by validator for semantic errors. These errors
can be found by plpgsql_check_function:
# Active mode
postgres=# load 'plpgsql'; -- 1.1 and higher doesn't need it
LOAD
postgres=# CREATE EXTENSION plpgsql_check;
LOAD
postgres=# CREATE TABLE t1(a int, b int);
CREATE TABLE
postgres=#
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION public.f1()
RETURNS void
LANGUAGE plpgsql
AS $function$
DECLARE r record;
BEGIN
FOR r IN SELECT * FROM t1
LOOP
RAISE NOTICE '%', r.c; -- there is bug - table t1 missing "c" column
END LOOP;
END;
$function$;
CREATE FUNCTION
postgres=# select f1(); -- execution doesn't find a bug due to empty table t1
f1
────
(1 row)
postgres=# \x
Expanded display is on.
postgres=# select * from plpgsql_check_function_tb('f1()');
─[ RECORD 1 ]───────────────────────────
functionid │ f1
lineno │ 6
statement │ RAISE
sqlstate │ 42703
message │ record "r" has no field "c"
detail │ [null]
hint │ [null]
level │ error
position │ 0
query │ [null]
postgres=# \sf+ f1
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION public.f1()
RETURNS void
LANGUAGE plpgsql
1 AS $function$
2 DECLARE r record;
3 BEGIN
4 FOR r IN SELECT * FROM t1
5 LOOP
6 RAISE NOTICE '%', r.c; -- there is bug - table t1 missing "c" column
7 END LOOP;
8 END;
9 $function$
Function plpgsql_check_function() has two possible formats: text or xml
select * from plpgsql_check_function('f1()', fatal_errors := false);
plpgsql_check_function
------------------------------------------------------------------------
error:42703:4:SQL statement:column "c" of relation "t1" does not exist
Query: update t1 set c = 30
-- ^
error:42P01:7:RAISE:missing FROM-clause entry for table "r"
Query: SELECT r.c
-- ^
error:42601:7:RAISE:too few parameters specified for RAISE
(7 rows)
postgres=# select * from plpgsql_check_function('fx()', format:='xml');
plpgsql_check_function
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
↵
↵
error ↵
42P01 ↵
relation "foo111" does not exist ↵
RETURN ↵
SELECT (select a from foo111)↵
↵
(1 row)
## Triggers
When you want to check any trigger, you have to enter a relation that will be
used together with trigger function
CREATE TABLE bar(a int, b int);
postgres=# \sf+ foo_trg
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION public.foo_trg()
RETURNS trigger
LANGUAGE plpgsql
1 AS $function$
2 BEGIN
3 NEW.c := NEW.a + NEW.b;
4 RETURN NEW;
5 END;
6 $function$
Missing relation specification
postgres=# select * from plpgsql_check_function('foo_trg()');
ERROR: missing trigger relation
HINT: Trigger relation oid must be valid
Correct trigger checking (with specified relation)
postgres=# select * from plpgsql_check_function('foo_trg()', 'bar');
plpgsql_check_function
--------------------------------------------------------
error:42703:3:assignment:record "new" has no field "c"
(1 row)
## Mass check
You can use the plpgsql_check_function for mass check functions and mass check
triggers. Please, test following queries:
-- check all nontrigger plpgsql functions
SELECT p.oid, p.proname, plpgsql_check_function(p.oid)
FROM pg_catalog.pg_namespace n
JOIN pg_catalog.pg_proc p ON pronamespace = n.oid
JOIN pg_catalog.pg_language l ON p.prolang = l.oid
WHERE l.lanname = 'plpgsql' AND p.prorettype <> 2279;
or
-- check all plpgsql functions (functions or trigger functions with defined triggers)
SELECT
(pcf).functionid::regprocedure, (pcf).lineno, (pcf).statement,
(pcf).sqlstate, (pcf).message, (pcf).detail, (pcf).hint, (pcf).level,
(pcf)."position", (pcf).query, (pcf).context
FROM
(
SELECT
plpgsql_check_function_tb(pg_proc.oid, COALESCE(pg_trigger.tgrelid, 0)) AS pcf
FROM pg_proc
LEFT JOIN pg_trigger
ON (pg_trigger.tgfoid = pg_proc.oid)
WHERE
prolang = (SELECT lang.oid FROM pg_language lang WHERE lang.lanname = 'plpgsql') AND
pronamespace <> (SELECT nsp.oid FROM pg_namespace nsp WHERE nsp.nspname = 'pg_catalog') AND
-- ignore unused triggers
(pg_proc.prorettype <> (SELECT typ.oid FROM pg_type typ WHERE typ.typname = 'trigger') OR
pg_trigger.tgfoid IS NOT NULL)
OFFSET 0
) ss
ORDER BY (pcf).functionid::regprocedure::text, (pcf).lineno
# Passive mode
Functions should be checked on start - plpgsql_check module must be loaded.
## Configuration
plpgsql_check.mode = [ disabled | by_function | fresh_start | every_start ]
plpgsql_check.fatal_errors = [ yes | no ]
plpgsql_check.show_nonperformance_warnings = false
plpgsql_check.show_performance_warnings = false
Default mode is by_function, that means that the enhanced check is done only in
active mode - by plpgsql_check_function.
You can enable passive mode by
load 'plpgsql'; -- 1.1 and higher doesn't need it
load 'plpgsql_check';
set plpgsql_check.mode = 'every_start';
SELECT fx(10); -- run functions - function is checked before runtime starts it
# Limits
plpgsql_check should find almost all errors on really static code. When developer use some
PLpgSQL's dynamic features like dynamic SQL or record data type, then false positives are
possible. These should be rare - in well written code - and then the affected function
should be redesigned or plpgsql_check should be disabled for this function.
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION f1()
RETURNS void AS $$
DECLARE r record;
BEGIN
FOR r IN EXECUTE 'SELECT * FROM t1'
LOOP
RAISE NOTICE '%', r.c;
END LOOP;
END;
$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql SET plpgsql.enable_check TO false;
A usage of plpgsql_check adds a small overhead (in enabled passive mode) and you should use
it only in develop or preprod environments.
## Dynamic SQL
This module doesn't check queries that are assembled in runtime. It is not possible
to identify results of dynamic queries - so plpgsql_check cannot to set correct type to record
variables and cannot to check a dependent SQLs and expressions. Don't use record variable
as target for dynamic queries or disable plpgsql_check for functions that use dynamic
queries.
## Refcursors
plpgsql_check should not to detect structure of referenced cursors. A reference on cursor
in PLpgSQL is implemented as name of global cursor. In check time, the name is not known (not in
all possibilities), and global cursor doesn't exist. It is significant break for any static analyse.
PLpgSQL cannot to set correct type for record variables and cannot to check a dependent SQLs and
expressions. A solution is same like dynamic SQL. Don't use record variable
as target when you use refcursor type or disable plpgsql_check for these functions.
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION foo(refcur_var refcursor)
RETURNS void AS $$
DECLARE
rec_var record;
BEGIN
FETCH refcur_var INTO rec_var; -- this is STOP for plpgsql_check
RAISE NOTICE '%', rec_var; -- record rec_var is not assigned yet error
In this case a record type should not be used (use known rowtype instead):
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION foo(refcur_var refcursor)
RETURNS void AS $$
DECLARE
rec_var some_rowtype;
BEGIN
FETCH refcur_var INTO rec_var;
RAISE NOTICE '%', rec_var;
## Temporary tables
plpgsql_check cannot verify queries over temporary tables that are created in plpgsql's function
runtime. For this use case it is necessary to create a fake temp table or disable plpgsql_check for this
function.
In reality temp tables are stored in own (per user) schema with higher priority than persistent
tables. So you can do (with following trick safetly):
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION public.disable_dml()
RETURNS trigger
LANGUAGE plpgsql AS $function$
BEGIN
RAISE EXCEPTION SQLSTATE '42P01'
USING message = format('this instance of %I table doesn''t allow any DML operation', TG_TABLE_NAME),
hint = format('you should to run "CREATE TEMP TABLE %1$I(LIKE %1$I INCLUDING ALL);" statement',
TG_TABLE_NAME);
RETURN NULL;
END;
$function$;
CREATE TABLE foo(a int, b int); -- doesn't hold data ever
CREATE TRIGGER foo_disable_dml
BEFORE INSERT OR UPDATE OR DELETE ON foo
EXECUTE PROCEDURE disable_dml();
postgres=# INSERT INTO foo VALUES(10,20);
ERROR: this instance of foo table doesn't allow any DML operation
HINT: you should to run "CREATE TEMP TABLE foo(LIKE foo INCLUDING ALL);" statement
postgres=#
CREATE TABLE
postgres=# INSERT INTO foo VALUES(10,20);
INSERT 0 1
This trick emulates GLOBAL TEMP tables partially and it allows a statical validation.
Other possibility is using a [template foreign data wrapper] (https://github.com/okbob/template_fdw)
# Compilation
You need a development environment for PostgreSQL extensions:
make clean
make install
result:
[pavel@localhost plpgsql_check]$ make USE_PGXS=1 clean
rm -f plpgsql_check.so libplpgsql_check.a libplpgsql_check.pc
rm -f plpgsql_check.o
rm -rf results/ regression.diffs regression.out tmp_check/ log/
[pavel@localhost plpgsql_check]$ make USE_PGXS=1 clean
rm -f plpgsql_check.so libplpgsql_check.a libplpgsql_check.pc
rm -f plpgsql_check.o
rm -rf results/ regression.diffs regression.out tmp_check/ log/
[pavel@localhost plpgsql_check]$ make USE_PGXS=1 all
clang -O2 -Wall -Wmissing-prototypes -Wpointer-arith -Wdeclaration-after-statement -Wendif-labels -Wmissing-format-attribute -Wformat-security -fno-strict-aliasing -fwrapv -fpic -I/usr/local/pgsql/lib/pgxs/src/makefiles/../../src/pl/plpgsql/src -I. -I./ -I/usr/local/pgsql/include/server -I/usr/local/pgsql/include/internal -D_GNU_SOURCE -c -o plpgsql_check.o plpgsql_check.c
clang -O2 -Wall -Wmissing-prototypes -Wpointer-arith -Wdeclaration-after-statement -Wendif-labels -Wmissing-format-attribute -Wformat-security -fno-strict-aliasing -fwrapv -fpic -I/usr/local/pgsql/lib/pgxs/src/makefiles/../../src/pl/plpgsql/src -shared -o plpgsql_check.so plpgsql_check.o -L/usr/local/pgsql/lib -Wl,--as-needed -Wl,-rpath,'/usr/local/pgsql/lib',--enable-new-dtags
[pavel@localhost plpgsql_check]$ su root
Password: *******
[root@localhost plpgsql_check]# make USE_PGXS=1 install
/usr/bin/mkdir -p '/usr/local/pgsql/lib'
/usr/bin/mkdir -p '/usr/local/pgsql/share/extension'
/usr/bin/mkdir -p '/usr/local/pgsql/share/extension'
/usr/bin/install -c -m 755 plpgsql_check.so '/usr/local/pgsql/lib/plpgsql_check.so'
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 plpgsql_check.control '/usr/local/pgsql/share/extension/'
/usr/bin/install -c -m 644 plpgsql_check--0.9.sql '/usr/local/pgsql/share/extension/'
[root@localhost plpgsql_check]# exit
[pavel@localhost plpgsql_check]$ make USE_PGXS=1 installcheck
/usr/local/pgsql/lib/pgxs/src/makefiles/../../src/test/regress/pg_regress --inputdir=./ --psqldir='/usr/local/pgsql/bin' --dbname=pl_regression --load-language=plpgsql --dbname=contrib_regression plpgsql_check_passive plpgsql_check_active plpgsql_check_active-9.5
(using postmaster on Unix socket, default port)
============== dropping database "contrib_regression" ==============
DROP DATABASE
============== creating database "contrib_regression" ==============
CREATE DATABASE
ALTER DATABASE
============== installing plpgsql ==============
CREATE LANGUAGE
============== running regression test queries ==============
test plpgsql_check_passive ... ok
test plpgsql_check_active ... ok
test plpgsql_check_active-9.5 ... ok
=====================
All 3 tests passed.
=====================
## Compilation plpgsql_check on OS X
use `-undefined dynamic_lookup` to the last line of the `Makefile ("override CFLAGS += ...")` allowed it to build.
## Compilation plpgsql_check on Windows 7
You can check precompiled dll libraries http://okbob.blogspot.cz/2015/02/plpgsqlcheck-is-available-for-microsoft.html
or compile by self:
1. Download and install PostgreSQL 9.3.4 for Win32 from http://www.enterprisedb.com
2. Download and install Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Express
3. Lern tutorial http://blog.2ndquadrant.com/compiling-postgresql-extensions-visual-studio-windows
4. The plpgsql_check depends on plpgsql and we need to add plpgsql.lib to the library list. Unfortunately PostgreSQL 9.4.3 does not contain this library.
5. Create a plpgsql.lib from plpgsql.dll as described in http://adrianhenke.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/create-lib-file-from-dll
6. Change `plpgsql_check.c` file, add `PGDLLEXPORT` line before evry extension function, as described in http://blog.2ndquadrant.com/compiling-postgresql-extensions-visual-studio-windows
(Skip this step if you have a version with "plpgsql_check_builtins.h" header file).
...PGDLLEXPORT
Datum plpgsql_check_function_tb(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
PGDLLEXPORT
Datum plpgsql_check_function(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
...
PGDLLEXPORT
Datum
plpgsql_check_function(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
{
Oid funcoid = PG_GETARG_OID(0);
...
PGDLLEXPORT
Datum
plpgsql_check_function_tb(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
{
Oid funcoid = PG_GETARG_OID(0);
...
7. Build plpgsql_check.dll
8. Install plugin
1. copy `plpgsql_check.dll` to `PostgreSQL\9.3\lib`
2. copy `plpgsql_check.control` and `plpgsql_check--0.8.sql` to `PostgreSQL\9.3\share\extension`
## Checked on
* gcc on Linux (against all supported PostgreSQL)
* clang 3.4 on Linux (against PostgreSQL 9.5)
* for success regress tests the PostgreSQL 9.2.14, 9.3.10, 9.4.5, 9.5 or higher is required
# Licence
Copyright (c) Pavel Stehule (pavel.stehule@gmail.com)
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
THE SOFTWARE.
# Note
If you like it, send a postcard to address
Pavel Stehule
Skalice 12
256 01 Benesov u Prahy
Czech Republic
I invite any questions, comments, bug reports, patches on mail address pavel.stehule@gmail.com