CREATE FUNCTION (scalar)

Adds a user-defined scalar function (UDSF) to the catalog. The library containing the function must have been previously added using CREATE LIBRARY.

A UDSF takes in a single row of data and returns a single value. These functions can be used anywhere a native Vertica function or statement can be used, except CREATE TABLE with its PARTITION BY or any segmentation clause.

CREATE FUNCTION automatically determines the function parameters and return value from data supplied by the factory class. Vertica supports overloading UDxs. When you call the function, Vertica passes the parameters to the function in the library to process.

Syntax

CREATE [ OR REPLACE ] FUNCTION [ IF NOT EXISTS ]
   [[database.]schema.]function AS
   [ LANGUAGE 'language' ]
   NAME 'factory'
   LIBRARY library
   [ FENCED | NOT FENCED ]

Arguments

OR REPLACE

If a function with the same name and arguments exists, replace it. You can use this to change between fenced and unfenced modes, for example. If you do not use this directive and the function already exists, the CREATE statement returns with a rollback error.

OR REPLACE and IF NOT EXISTS are mutually exclusive.

IF NOT EXISTS

If a function with the same name and arguments exists, return without creating the function.

OR REPLACE and IF NOT EXISTS are mutually exclusive.

[database.]schema

Database and schema. The default schema is public. If you specify a database, it must be the current database.

function

Name of the function to create. This is the name used in SQL invocations of the function. It does not need to match the name of the factory, but it is less confusing if they are the same or similar.

The function name must conform to the restrictions on Identifiers.

LANGUAGE 'language'

Language used to develop this function, one of the following:

• C++ (default)

• Python

• Java

• R

NAME 'factory'

Name of the factory class that generates the function instance.

LIBRARY library

Name of the C++ shared object file, Python file, Java Jar file, or R functions file. This library must already have been loaded by CREATE LIBRARY.

FENCED | NOT FENCED

Enables or disables fenced mode for this function. Functions written in Java and R always run in fenced mode.

Default: FENCED

Privileges

• CREATE privilege on the function's schema

• USAGE privilege on the function's library

Examples

The following example loads a library named ScalarFunctions and then defines a function named Add2ints that is mapped to the Add2intsInfo factory class in the library:

=> CREATE LIBRARY ScalarFunctions AS '/opt/vertica/sdk/examples/build/ScalarFunctions.so';
CREATE LIBRARY
=> CREATE FUNCTION Add2Ints AS LANGUAGE 'C++' NAME 'Add2IntsFactory' LIBRARY ScalarFunctions;
CREATE FUNCTION
=> \x
Expanded display is on.
=> SELECT * FROM USER_FUNCTIONS;

-[ RECORD 1 ]----------+----------------------------------------------------
schema_name            | public
function_name          | Add2Ints
procedure_type         | User Defined Function
function_return_type   | Integer
function_argument_type | Integer, Integer
function_definition    | Class 'Add2IntsFactory' in Library 'public.ScalarFunctions'
volatility             | volatile
is_strict              | f
is_fenced              | t
comment                |

=> \x
Expanded display is off.
=> -- Try a simple call to the function
=> SELECT Add2Ints(23,19);
 Add2Ints
----------
       42
(1 row)

The following example uses a scalar function that returns a ROW:

=> CREATE FUNCTION div_with_rem AS LANGUAGE 'C++' NAME 'DivFactory' LIBRARY ScalarFunctions;

=> SELECT div_with_rem(18,5);
        div_with_rem
------------------------------
 {"quotient":3,"remainder":3}
(1 row)

See also