My function returned a string. How to execute it?

Question

My function fun() returned a long crosstab table generation string (varchar) that I can view with select fun(). How to execute it not inside a function but from a console?

Answer 1

Use \gexec in psql to execute what the query returns:

SELECT fun()\gexec

The manual:

Sends the current query buffer to the server, then treats each column of each row of the query's output (if any) as an SQL statement to be executed.

Read the manual for more details.

Related:

• Simulate CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS for PostgreSQL?

• Blender: even if fun() returned something like SELECT * from...?
• Erwin Brandstetter: @Blender: Yes. Follow the link to read details in the manual.
• Blender: Yeah it does not work in datagrip console sadly for me...