Contents
server_encoding
A read-only parameter showing the current database's encoding
server_encoding is a read-only configuration parameter reporting the encoding in which the current database was created.
server_encoding was added in PostgreSQL 7.4.
Usage
server_encoding is a textual representation of the encoding column in pg_database. While this information could be useful when retrieving metadata about the database, the current value of client_encoding will usually be more relevant when interpreting string data.
Change history
- PostgreSQL 7.4
- added (commit 9cbaf721)
Examples
Basic usage example for server_encoding:
postgres=# SHOW server_encoding; server_encoding ----------------- UTF8 (1 row)
Example with a different encoding:
postgres=# CREATE DATABASE foo TEMPLATE 'template0' LOCALE 'ja_JP.EUC_JP' ENCODING 'EUC_JP'; CREATE DATABASE postgres=# \c foo You are now connected to database "foo" as user "postgres". foo=# SHOW server_encoding; server_encoding ----------------- EUC_JP (1 row) foo=# SHOW client_encoding; client_encoding ----------------- UTF8 (1 row)
Use current_setting() to retrieve the value for further manipulation in a query:
postgres=# SELECT 'The server encoding is: ' || current_setting('server_encoding');
?column?
------------------------------
The server encoding is: UTF8
(1 row)
The database encoding can be also be queried directly from pg_database:
postgres=# SELECT pg_encoding_to_char(encoding) FROM pg_database WHERE datname = current_database(); pg_encoding_to_char --------------------- UTF8 (1 row)
References
- PostgreSQL documentation: server_encoding