Where to store some session based info?

  • Jump to comment-1
    Durumdara<durumdara@gmail.com>
    Mar 25, 2026, 5:21 PM UTC
    Hello!
    Sometimes we have to use "Current User ID", and "User Name" in the Triggers
    to make a log into a table. These values are based on our User, not in the
    PSQL role.
    Now we use a temporary table to do this.
    When the user logged into the application, we created a temporary table
    with the same name (user_info) and structure. This holds the data (id,
    name, machine info, ip address).
    In the trigger we try to find this table (in the LOCAL_TEMPORARY schema).
    Then we read the row into a JSON record, and then into PLPGSQL variables.
    Tables can exist with the same name, so this is the safest solution.
    If the User ID is invalid (none or empty) that means this is a background
    operation, and then we don't need to log the changes.
    But maybe there is a better way to somehow store some session based data
    and use it in the triggers.
    Because if these selects are slow, the trigger is also slow. So when I
    start an UPDATE command in a big table, maybe this slows down the whole
    operation.
    Note:
    A table with the PID key is not enough, because the PID is a repeated
    value.
    I logged it and in the Windows system there are many of the same values
    (10001, 10004, etc.).
    Ok, I can combine with session creation time. But for this I also need to
    start a select in the pgstatactivty table.
    So maybe you have an easier way to point to a record in a session.
    Important: the PG servers are different, the lesser version is 11, and we
    have only a Database Owner role. We can't configure the server.
    What is your opinion? Is there any way to get session based data?
    As I read before, we can't set the session variables onfly.
    Best regards
    dd
    • Jump to comment-1
      Pavel Stehule<pavel.stehule@gmail.com>
      Mar 25, 2026, 5:40 PM UTC
      Hi
      st 25. 3. 2026 v 18:21 odesílatel Durumdara <durumdara@gmail.com> napsal:
      Hello!

      Sometimes we have to use "Current User ID", and "User Name" in the
      Triggers to make a log into a table. These values are based on our User,
      not in the PSQL role.

      Now we use a temporary table to do this.
      When the user logged into the application, we created a temporary table
      with the same name (user_info) and structure. This holds the data (id,
      name, machine info, ip address).

      In the trigger we try to find this table (in the LOCAL_TEMPORARY schema).
      Then we read the row into a JSON record, and then into PLPGSQL variables.
      Tables can exist with the same name, so this is the safest solution.
      If the User ID is invalid (none or empty) that means this is a background
      operation, and then we don't need to log the changes.

      But maybe there is a better way to somehow store some session based data
      and use it in the triggers.
      Because if these selects are slow, the trigger is also slow. So when I
      start an UPDATE command in a big table, maybe this slows down the whole
      operation.

      Note:
      A table with the PID key is not enough, because the PID is a repeated
      value.
      I logged it and in the Windows system there are many of the same values
      (10001, 10004, etc.).
      Ok, I can combine with session creation time. But for this I also need to
      start a select in the pgstatactivty table.

      So maybe you have an easier way to point to a record in a session.
      Important: the PG servers are different, the lesser version is 11, and we
      have only a Database Owner role. We can't configure the server.

      What is your opinion? Is there any way to get session based data?
      As I read before, we can't set the session variables onfly.
      There are not native session variables, but you can use workaround - custom
      setting
      (2026-03-25 18:39:04) postgres=# set myvar.xxx to 'hello';
      select current_setting('myvar.xxx');
      SET
      ┌─────────────────┐
      │ current_setting │
      ╞═════════════════╡
      │ hello           │
      └─────────────────┘
      (1 row)
      Regards
      Pavel

      Best regards
      dd


    • Jump to comment-1
      Adrian Klaver<adrian.klaver@aklaver.com>
      Mar 25, 2026, 5:52 PM UTC
      On 3/25/26 10:20 AM, Durumdara wrote:
      Hello!
      Sometimes we have to use "Current User ID", and "User Name" in the > Triggers to make a log into a table. These values are based on our User, > not in the PSQL role.
      Now we use a temporary table to do this.
      When the user logged into the application, we created a temporary table > with the same name (user_info) and structure. This holds the data (id, > name, machine info, ip address).
      In the trigger we try to find this table (in the LOCAL_TEMPORARY schema).
      Then we read the row into a JSON record, and then into PLPGSQL variables.
      Tables can exist with the same name, so this is the safest solution.
      If the User  ID is invalid (none or empty) that means this is a > background operation, and then we don't need to log the changes.
      But maybe there is a better way to somehow store some session based data > and use it in the triggers.
      Because if these selects are slow, the trigger is also slow. So when I > start an UPDATE command in a big table, maybe this slows down the whole > operation.
      Note:
      A table with the PID key is not enough, because the PID is a repeated > value.
      I logged it and in the Windows system there are many of the same values > (10001, 10004, etc.).
      Ok, I can combine with session creation time. But for this I also need > to start a select in the pgstatactivty table.
      So maybe you have an easier way to point to a record in a session.
      Important: the PG servers are different, the lesser version is 11, and > we have only a Database Owner role. We can't configure the server.
      What is your opinion? Is there any way to get session based data?
      As I read before, we can't set the session variables onfly.
      Maybe SET?:
      https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/sql-set.html
      With LOCAL it is scoped to a transaction.
      Otherwise it persists for session unless a transaction is rolled back.
      As example:
      CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION public.session_test()
       RETURNS void
       LANGUAGE plpgsql
      AS $function$
      DECLARE
      _test_var varchar := current_setting('test.session_var', 't');
      BEGIN
      RAISE NOTICE 'Variable is %', _test_var;
      END;
      $function$
      No variable set:
      test=# select session_test();
      NOTICE: Variable is <NULL>
      session_test
      --------------
      (1 row)
      Variable set:
      test=# begin ;
      BEGIN
      test=*# set local test.session_var = 'test';
      SET
      test=*# select session_test();
      NOTICE:  Variable is test
       session_test
      --------------
      (1 row)
      Best regards
      dd
      -- Adrian Klaver
      adrian.klaver@aklaver.com
      • Jump to comment-1
        Durumdara<durumdara@gmail.com>
        Mar 26, 2026, 1:54 PM UTC
        Dear Adrian, Dear All!
        Hmmm... Then I remembered wrong.
        I thought that I can't set variables without defining them in the server's
        configuration somehow.
        So: your example is good for us. I can set a variable and I can read this
        value. It's cool.
        Thank you for your help!
        Best regards
        dd
        Adrian Klaver <adrian.klaver@aklaver.com> ezt írta (időpont: 2026. márc.
        25., Sze, 18:51):
        On 3/25/26 10:20 AM, Durumdara wrote:
        Hello!

        Sometimes we have to use "Current User ID", and "User Name" in the
        Triggers to make a log into a table. These values are based on our User,
        not in the PSQL role.

        Now we use a temporary table to do this.
        When the user logged into the application, we created a temporary table
        with the same name (user_info) and structure. This holds the data (id,
        name, machine info, ip address).

        In the trigger we try to find this table (in the LOCAL_TEMPORARY schema).
        Then we read the row into a JSON record, and then into PLPGSQL variables.
        Tables can exist with the same name, so this is the safest solution.
        If the User ID is invalid (none or empty) that means this is a
        background operation, and then we don't need to log the changes.

        But maybe there is a better way to somehow store some session based data
        and use it in the triggers.
        Because if these selects are slow, the trigger is also slow. So when I
        start an UPDATE command in a big table, maybe this slows down the whole
        operation.

        Note:
        A table with the PID key is not enough, because the PID is a repeated
        value.
        I logged it and in the Windows system there are many of the same values
        (10001, 10004, etc.).
        Ok, I can combine with session creation time. But for this I also need
        to start a select in the pgstatactivty table.

        So maybe you have an easier way to point to a record in a session.
        Important: the PG servers are different, the lesser version is 11, and
        we have only a Database Owner role. We can't configure the server.

        What is your opinion? Is there any way to get session based data?
        As I read before, we can't set the session variables onfly.

        Maybe SET?:

        https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/sql-set.html

        With LOCAL it is scoped to a transaction.

        Otherwise it persists for session unless a transaction is rolled back.

        As example:

        CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION public.session_test()
        RETURNS void
        LANGUAGE plpgsql
        AS $function$
        DECLARE
        testvar varchar := currentsetting('test.sessionvar', 't');
        BEGIN
        RAISE NOTICE 'Variable is %', testvar;
        END;
        $function$


        No variable set:

        test=# select session_test();
        NOTICE: Variable is <NULL>
        session_test
        --------------

        (1 row)

        Variable set:

        test=# begin ;
        BEGIN
        test=*# set local test.session_var = 'test';
        SET
        test=*# select session_test();
        NOTICE: Variable is test
        session_test
        --------------

        (1 row)

        Best regards
        dd



        --
        Adrian Klaver
        adrian.klaver@aklaver.com