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Status Not under consideration
Workspace IBM i
Categories Db2 for i
Created by Guest
Created on Jun 21, 2019

"UPSERT" - update or insert

It would be appreciated if a UPSERT SQL statement could be introduced, that do an UPDATE but if the row does not exist will be changed to an insert.

Look at upsert patterns and antipatterns:

https://michaeljswart.com/2017/07/sql-server-upsert-patterns-and-antipatterns/


Use Case:

create table demo (
id int,
text clob
);

upsert demo
set text = 'Hey 1'
where id = 1;


The equivalent with MERGE looks like:

MERGE INTO demo tgt
USING ( select 1 id , 'hey 1' text from sysibm.sysdummy1) src
ON (tgt.id = src.id)
WHEN MATCHED THEN
UPDATE SET text = src.text
WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN
INSERT (id, text) VALUES(src.id , src.text);


Idea priority Medium
  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Apr 23, 2020

    The IBM i database team has no plan to deliver this simpler form of the MERGE statement. Our focus is on enhancements that have no existing alternative.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Mar 17, 2020

    The CAAC has reviewed this requirement and recommends that IBM view this as a “nice to have” low priority feature. MERGE INTO can handle most cases.

    Background: The COMMON Americas Advisory Council (CAAC) members have a broad range of experience in working with small and medium-sized IBM i customers. CAAC has a key role in working with IBM i development to help assess the value and impact of individual RFEs on the broader IBM i community, and has therefore reviewed your RFE.

    For more information about CAAC, see www.common.org/caac

    For more details about CAAC's role with RFEs, see http://www.ibmsystemsmag.com/Blogs/i-Can/May-2017/COMMON-Americas-Advisory-Council-%28CAAC%29-and-RFEs/

    Nancy Uthke-Schmucki - CAAC Program Manager

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Aug 6, 2019

    The COMMON Europe Advisory Council (CEAC) has reviewed this requirement and recommends that IBM view this as a medium priority requirement that should be addressed.

    Background: The CEAC members have a broad range of experience in working with small and medium-sized IBM i customers. CEAC has a crucial role in working with IBM i development to help assess the value and impact of individual RFEs on the broader IBM i community and has therefore reviewed your RFE.

    To find out how CEAC help to shape the future of IBM i, see CEAC @ ibm.biz/BdYSYj and the article "The Five Hottest IBM i RFEs Of The Quarter" at ibm.biz/BdYSZT

    Therese Eaton – CEAC Program Manager, IBM

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Jun 23, 2019

    Just piling on here.. but the other major DBMSs have both merge & upsert. Merge is great for complex tasks but it's as plain as the nose on your face that upsert's syntax wins for simple tasks. Any other answer is quite frankly pedantic.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Jun 23, 2019

    do you know the MERGE statement? or does it not work for you ?
    here is an example, but there are more possibilities, see the sql-reference

    MERGE INTO t1 USING (
    SELECT ID,
    c2
    FROM t2
    ) x ON t1.ID = x.ID
    WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN INSERT VALUES (
    ID,
    c2
    )
    WHEN MATCHED THEN UPDATE SET c2 = x.c2;