In many other db systems you can use built in functions to check to see if
an object exists in the db...

For example, in Sybase, you can use the object_id function to check to see
if an object exists...
if object_id('some table, view, stored procedure, etc. name') is not null
-- perform some action, like drop a stored proc
else
-- perform some other action
End -- if


Does an equivalent function exist in Postgres?
Furthermore, where should I look to find the list of such built-in
functions?

---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
TIP 6: Have you searched our list archives?

http://archives.postgresql.org

On Tue, Jun 08, 2004 at 14:08:11 -0500,
"Loftis, Charles E" <charles.loftis (AT) eds (DOT) com> wrote:
The system catalog and the information schema have metadata about objects.
You can query those tables to find out if an object with a particular name
currently exists. The logic for what to do depending on what is found
will probably need to be in your application or in a function. Straight
SQL is pretty limited for providing conditional code execution.

---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
TIP 6: Have you searched our list archives?

http://archives.postgresql.org