How can I modify a row in a function such that the caller sees it?

[Kenneth Tilton <ktilton@xxxxxxxx>]

Bit of a nooby Q, tho I have researched this quite a bit and found nothing and it seems simple: I just want to modify a row in a plpgsql function such that the change can be seen by the caller.

The functions happen to be called in a before trigger, to finish initializing the row. The functions are named in a column of the new row, so they are effectively callbacks.

The closest I have come was an error saying the function returned nine columns, which is great because the row has nine columns. :)

Somewhat condensed (I know, I know <g>) Here is the calling trigger function:

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION dcm.biz_proc_init()

  RETURNS trigger AS

$BODY$

  

declare

   bpnew dcm.biz_proc;

begin

   if NEW.timing_initializer is not null then

       execute 'select ' || NEW.timing_initializer || '($1)'

                 using NEW

                 into bpnew;

       return bpnew;

   else

       return NEW;

   end if;

end;

$BODY$

  LANGUAGE plpgsql VOLATILE

  COST 100;

Here is a callback:

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION dcm.test_bp_init(bp dcm.biz_proc)

  RETURNS dcm.biz_proc AS

$BODY$

  

declare

begin

   bp.max_duration_time = now() + interval '30 days';

   return bp;

end;

$BODY$

  LANGUAGE plpgsql VOLATILE

  COST 100;

If the above looks OK I will carve out an actual disclosable pile of SQL to recreate the problem, but this seems like a trivial thing so I am hoping I just have missed the right bit of documentation of something straightforward.

-ken