SPI_RETURNTUPLE(3)

💅 SPI_RETURNTUPLE(3) 💅

okay so bestie, this is the PostgreSQL 15.19 Documentation page for SPI_returntuple, and we're about to make returning a tuple as a Datum make sense. no cap. ✨

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🎀 NAME 🎀

SPI_returntuple — prepare to return a tuple as a Datum

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

HeapTupleHeader SPI_returntuple(HeapTuple row, TupleDesc rowdesc)

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💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

So SPI_returntuple makes a copy of a row in the upper executor context, and returns it in the form of a row type Datum. The returned pointer only needs to be converted to Datum via PointerGetDatum before returning. literally that's the whole vibe. 🦋

Important vibe check: this function can only be used while connected to SPI. Otherwise, it returns NULL and sets SPI_result to SPI_ERROR_UNCONNECTED. not me finding out the hard way 😭

Also note: this should be used for functions that are declared to return composite types. It is not used for triggers — for returning a modified row in a trigger, use SPI_copytuple instead. periodt. 💅

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🌸 ARGUMENTS 🌸

• HeapTuple row — the row to be copied. yes bestie, that row right there.
• TupleDesc rowdesc — descriptor for row (pass the same descriptor each time for most effective caching). lowkey important for that caching slay. 🎀

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🫶 RETURN VALUE 🫶

A HeapTupleHeader pointing to the copied row, or NULL on error (see SPI_result for an error indication). if it's NULL, go check SPI_result, iykyk. 💜

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💜 xoxo, your PostgreSQL 15.19 bestie — page dated 2026, signing off with SPI_RETURNTUPLE(3) energy. 🎀