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# PL/pgSQL Select Into

**Summary**: in this tutorial, you will learn how to use the PL/pgSQL `select into` statement to select data from the database and assign it to a variable.

## Introduction to PL/pgSQL Select Into statement

The `select into` statement allows you to [select data from the database](../postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-select) and assign it to a [variable](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-variables).

Here's the basic syntax of the `select into` statement:

```sql
select column1, column2, ...
into variable1, variable2, ...
from table_expression;
```

In this syntax,

- First, specify one or more columns from which you want to retrieve data in the `select` clause.
- Second, place one or more variables after the `into` keyword.
- Third, provide the name of the table in the `from` clause.

The `select` `into` statement will assign the data returned by the `select` clause to the corresponding variables.

Besides selecting data from a table, you can use other clauses of the `select` statement such as [`join`](../postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-joins), [`group by,`](../postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-group-by) and [`having`](../postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-having).

## PL/pgSQL Select Into statement examples

Let's take some examples of using the `select into` statement.

### 1) Basic select into statement example

The following example uses the `select into` statement to retrieve the number of actors from the `actor` table and assign it to the `actor_count` variable:

```plsql
do
$$
declare
   actor_count integer;
begin
   -- select the number of actors from the actor table
   select count(*)
   into actor_count
   from actor;

   -- show the number of actors
   raise notice 'The number of actors: %', actor_count;
end;
$$;
```

Output:

```
NOTICE:  The number of actors: 200
```

In this example:

- First, declare a variable called `actor_count` that stores the number of actors from the `actor` table.
- Second, assign the number of actors to the `actor_count` using the `select into` statement.
- Third, display a message that shows the value of the `actor_count` variable using the `raise notice` statement.

### 2) Using the select into with multiple variables

The following example uses the `select into` statement to assign the first and last names of the actor id 1 to two variables:

```plsql
do
$$
declare
   v_first_name varchar;
   v_last_name varchar;
begin
   -- select the first_name and last_name of the actor id 1
   select first_name, last_name
   into v_first_name, v_last_name
   from actor
   where actor_id = 1;

   -- show the full name
   raise notice '% %', v_first_name, v_last_name;
end;
$$;
```

Output:

```
NOTICE:  Penelope Guiness
```

How it works.

First, declare two variables `v_first_name` and `v_last_name` with the types `varchar`:

```sql
v_first_name varchar;
v_last_name varchar;
```

Second, retrieve the `first_name` and `last_name` of the actor id 1 from the `actor` table and assign them to the `v_first_name` and `v_last_name` variables:

```sql
select first_name, last_name
into v_first_name, v_last_name
from actor
where actor_id = 1;
```

Third, show the values of `v_first_name` and `v_last_name` variables:

```sql
raise notice '% %', v_first_name, v_last_name;
```

Because we assign data retrieved from the `first_name` and `last_name` columns of the `actor` table, we can use the type-copying technique to declare the `v_first_name` and `v_last_name` variables:

```plsql
do
$$
declare
   v_first_name actor.first_name%type;
   v_last_name actor.last_name%type;
begin
   -- select the first_name and last_name of the actor id 1
   select first_name, last_name
   into v_first_name, v_last_name
   from actor
   where actor_id = 1;

   -- show the full name
   raise notice '% %', v_first_name, v_last_name;
end;
$$;
```

## Summary

- Use the `select into` statement to select data from the database and assign it to a variable.

---

## Related docs (PostgreSQL PL/pgSQL)

- [Introduction](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/introduction-to-postgresql-stored-procedures)
- [Block Structure](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-block-structure)
- [Variables](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-variables)
- [Constants](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-constants)
- [IF-ELSE Statements](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-if-else-statements)
- [CASE Statement](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-case-statement)
- [Loop Statements](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-loop-statements)
- [FOR Loop](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-for-loop)
- [WHILE Loop](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/pl-pgsql-while-loop)
- [EXIT Statement](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-exit)
- [CONTINUE Statement](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/pl-pgsql-continue)
- [Cursor](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-cursor)
- [Function Parameters](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-function-parameters)
- [Function Overloading](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-function-overloading)
- [Function Returns Table](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-function-returns-a-table)
- [Returns SETOF](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-returns-setof)
- [Record Types](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-record-types)
- [Row Types](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/pl-pgsql-row-types)
- [Error Messages](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/plpgsql-errors-messages)
- [Exception Handling](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/postgresql-exception)
- [CREATE FUNCTION](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/postgresql-create-function)
- [CREATE PROCEDURE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/postgresql-create-procedure)
- [DROP FUNCTION](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/postgresql-drop-function)
- [DROP PROCEDURE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/postgresql-drop-procedure)
- [Stored Procedure with INOUT Parameters](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/postgresql-stored-procedure-with-inout-parameters)
- [Introduction to Stored Procedures](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/introduction-to-postgresql-stored-procedures)
- [ASSERT Statement](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/pl-pgsql-assert)
- [Dollar-Quoted String Constants](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-plpgsql/dollar-quoted-string-constants)