How to diagnose and fix the 22P02 invalid_text_representation error code in Postgres.

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The 22P02 error code in PostgreSQL, labeled as invalid_text_representation, indicates that there is a failure to convert a text value to a specific data type. This error often occurs when you try to cast or convert a string to a data type like integer, but the string contains invalid characters that do not represent a number.

To diagnose and fix the 22P02 error code:

  1. Identify the operation causing the error, which is usually a type conversion or casting operation.
  2. Check the input data to ensure that the text representation matches the expected format for the target data type.
  3. If you’re using a function like to_number() or CAST, ensure that the format masks or casting types are correct and appropriate for the input text.

Here are some examples and how to fix them:

Example 1: Direct casting issue

-- This will cause an error because 'abc' is not a valid integer
SELECT 'abc'::integer;

To fix this, make sure the input text is a valid integer:

-- Correct usage with a valid integer as text
SELECT '123'::integer;

Example 2: Inserting or updating a table with incorrect types

CREATE TABLE example_table (
    id serial PRIMARY KEY,
    number_column integer
);

-- This will cause an error because 'five' is not a valid integer
INSERT INTO example_table (number_column) VALUES ('five');

To fix this, use a valid integer for the number_column:

-- Correct usage with a valid integer
INSERT INTO example_table (number_column) VALUES (5);

Example 3: Querying with an incorrect parameter type

-- Assuming id is an integer column, this will cause an error
SELECT * FROM example_table WHERE id = 'one';

To fix this, use a valid integer for the id comparison:

-- Correct usage with a valid integer
SELECT * FROM example_table WHERE id = 1;

When you encounter the 22P02 error, carefully review the data and the context in which the conversion is attempted. Ensure that any text values being converted to numeric or date/time types are in a valid and compatible format.

For more detailed information on handling errors and data type formatting in PostgreSQL, you can refer to the PostgreSQL documentation.

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