PostgreSQL 8.0.0rc4 Documentation
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# 30.16. `element_types`

The view `element_types` contains the data type descriptors of the elements of arrays. When a table column, domain, function parameter, or function return value is defined to be of an array type, the respective information schema view only contains `ARRAY` in the column `data_type`. To obtain information on the element type of the array, you can join the respective view with this view. For example, to show the columns of a table with data types and array element types, if applicable, you could do

    SELECT c.column_name, c.data_type, e.data_type AS element_type
    FROM information_schema.columns c LEFT JOIN information_schema.element_types e
         ON ((c.table_catalog, c.table_schema, c.table_name, 'TABLE', c.dtd_identifier)
           = (e.object_catalog, e.object_schema, e.object_name, e.object_type, e.array_type_identifier))
    WHERE c.table_schema = '...' AND c.table_name = '...'
    ORDER BY c.ordinal_position;

This view only includes objects that the current user has access to, by way of being the owner or having some privilege.

Table 30-14. `element_types` Columns

Name | Data Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`object_catalog` | `sql_identifier` | Name of the database that contains the object that uses the array being described (always the current database)
`object_schema` | `sql_identifier` | Name of the schema that contains the object that uses the array being described
`object_name` | `sql_identifier` | Name of the object that uses the array being described
`object_type` | `character_data` | The type of the object that uses the array being described: one of `TABLE` (the array is used by a column of that table), `DOMAIN` (the array is used by that domain), `ROUTINE` (the array is used by a parameter or the return data type of that function).
`array_type_identifier` | `sql_identifier` | The identifier of the data type descriptor of the array being described. Use this to join with the `dtd_identifier` columns of other information schema views.
`data_type` | `character_data` | Data type of the array elements, if it is a built-in type, else `USER-DEFINED` (in that case, the type is identified in `udt_name` and associated columns).
`character_maximum_length` | `cardinal_number` | Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL
`character_octet_length` | `cardinal_number` | Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL
`character_set_catalog` | `sql_identifier` | Applies to a feature not available in PostgreSQL
`character_set_schema` | `sql_identifier` | Applies to a feature not available in PostgreSQL
`character_set_name` | `sql_identifier` | Applies to a feature not available in PostgreSQL
`collation_catalog` | `sql_identifier` | Applies to a feature not available in PostgreSQL
`collation_schema` | `sql_identifier` | Applies to a feature not available in PostgreSQL
`collation_name` | `sql_identifier` | Applies to a feature not available in PostgreSQL
`numeric_precision` | `cardinal_number` | Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL
`numeric_precision_radix` | `cardinal_number` | Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL
`numeric_scale` | `cardinal_number` | Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL
`datetime_precision` | `cardinal_number` | Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL
`interval_type` | `character_data` | Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL
`interval_precision` | `character_data` | Always null, since this information is not applied to array element data types in PostgreSQL
`domain_default` | `character_data` | Not yet implemented
`udt_catalog` | `sql_identifier` | Name of the database that the data type of the elements is defined in (always the current database)
`udt_schema` | `sql_identifier` | Name of the schema that the data type of the elements is defined in
`udt_name` | `sql_identifier` | Name of the data type of the elements
`scope_catalog` | `sql_identifier` | Applies to a feature not available in PostgreSQL
`scope_schema` | `sql_identifier` | Applies to a feature not available in PostgreSQL
`scope_name` | `sql_identifier` | Applies to a feature not available in PostgreSQL
`maximum_cardinality` | `cardinal_number` | Always null, because arrays always have unlimited maximum cardinality in PostgreSQL
`dtd_identifier` | `sql_identifier` | An identifier of the data type descriptor of the element. This is currently not useful.

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