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doc/src/sgml/ref/import_foreign_schema.sgml
PostgreSQL documentation
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<refentry id="sql-importforeignschema">
 <indexterm zone="sql-importforeignschema">
  <primary>IMPORT FOREIGN SCHEMA</primary>
 </indexterm>

 <refmeta>
  <refentrytitle>IMPORT FOREIGN SCHEMA</refentrytitle>
  <manvolnum>7</manvolnum>
  <refmiscinfo>SQL - Language Statements</refmiscinfo>
 </refmeta>

 <refnamediv>
  <refname>IMPORT FOREIGN SCHEMA</refname>
  <refpurpose>import table definitions from a foreign server</refpurpose>
 </refnamediv>

 <refsynopsisdiv>
<synopsis>
IMPORT FOREIGN SCHEMA <replaceable class="parameter">remote_schema</replaceable>
    [ { LIMIT TO | EXCEPT } ( <replaceable class="parameter">table_name</replaceable> [, ...] ) ]
    FROM SERVER <replaceable class="parameter">server_name</replaceable>
    INTO <replaceable class="parameter">local_schema</replaceable>
    [ OPTIONS ( <replaceable class="parameter">option</replaceable> '<replaceable class="parameter">value</replaceable>' [, ... ] ) ]
</synopsis>
 </refsynopsisdiv>

 <refsect1 id="sql-importforeignschema-description">
  <title>Description</title>

  <para>
   <command>IMPORT FOREIGN SCHEMA</command> creates foreign tables that
   represent tables existing on a foreign server.  The new foreign tables
   will be owned by the user issuing the command and are created with
   the correct column definitions and options to match the remote tables.
  </para>

  <para>
   By default, all tables and views existing in a particular schema on the
   foreign server are imported.  Optionally, the list of tables can be limited
   to a specified subset, or specific tables can be excluded.  The new foreign
   tables are all created in the target schema, which must already exist.
  </para>

  <para>
   To use <command>IMPORT FOREIGN SCHEMA</command>, the user must have
   <literal>USAGE</literal> privilege on the foreign server, as well as
   <literal>CREATE</literal> privilege on the target schema.
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Parameters</title>

  <variablelist>

   <varlistentry>
    <term><replaceable class="parameter">remote_schema</replaceable></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      The remote schema to import from. The specific meaning of a remote schema
      depends on the foreign data wrapper in use.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>

   <varlistentry>
    <term><literal>LIMIT TO ( <replaceable class="parameter">table_name</replaceable> [, ...] )</literal></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      Import only foreign tables matching one of the given table names.
      Other tables existing in the foreign schema will be ignored.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>

   <varlistentry>
    <term><literal>EXCEPT ( <replaceable class="parameter">table_name</replaceable> [, ...] )</literal></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      Exclude specified foreign tables from the import.  All tables
      existing in the foreign schema will be imported except the
      ones listed here.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>

   <varlistentry>
    <term><replaceable class="parameter">server_name</replaceable></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      The foreign server to import from.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>

   <varlistentry>
    <term><replaceable class="parameter">local_schema</replaceable></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      The schema in which the imported foreign tables will be created.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>

   <varlistentry>
    <term><literal>OPTIONS ( <replaceable class="parameter">option</replaceable> '<replaceable class="parameter">value</replaceable>' [, ...] )</literal></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      Options to be used during the import.
      The allowed option names and values are specific to each foreign
      data wrapper.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>
  </variablelist>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1 id="sql-importforeignschema-examples">
  <title>Examples</title>

  <para>
   Import table definitions from a remote schema <structname>foreign_films</structname>
   on server <structname>film_server</structname>, creating the foreign tables in
   local schema <structname>films</structname>:

<programlisting>
IMPORT FOREIGN SCHEMA foreign_films
    FROM SERVER film_server INTO films;
</programlisting>
   </para>

  <para>
   As above, but import only the two tables <structname>actors</structname> and
   <literal>directors</literal> (if they exist):

<programlisting>
IMPORT FOREIGN SCHEMA foreign_films LIMIT TO (actors, directors)
    FROM SERVER film_server INTO films;
</programlisting></para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1 id="sql-importforeignschema-compatibility">
  <title>Compatibility</title>

  <para>
   The <command>IMPORT FOREIGN SCHEMA</command> command conforms to the
   <acronym>SQL</acronym> standard, except that the <literal>OPTIONS</literal>
   clause is a <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> extension.
  </para>

 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>See Also</title>

  <simplelist type="inline">
   <member><xref linkend="sql-createforeigntable"></member>
   <member><xref linkend="sql-createserver"></member>
  </simplelist>
 </refsect1>
</refentry>
