When encountering the error 22024: Unterminated C String in Postgres, follow these steps:
- Identify the query causing the error by reviewing the application logs or the PostgreSQL log file. Look for recent entries around the time the error occurred. If logging is not detailed enough, adjust the PostgreSQL logging level with:
ALTER SYSTEM SET log_min_error_statement = 'error';
SELECT pg_reload_conf();
- Once the problematic query is identified, check the query for literal strings that might not be properly closed with a single quote. This often happens in dynamic SQL or when constructing queries with input parameters.
- If the error occurs in a stored procedure or function, review the function’s code. Use the following command to get the function definition:
SELECT pg_get_functiondef(f.oid)
FROM pg_proc f
JOIN pg_namespace n ON (f.pronamespace = n.oid)
WHERE n.nspname = 'your_schema_name' -- Replace 'your_schema_name' with your actual schema name
AND f.proname = 'your_function_name'; -- Replace 'your_function_name' with your actual function name
- For a quick check of string literals in your query or function, ensure every opening quote (
') has a corresponding closing quote ('). For example, in the query SELECT * FROM my_table WHERE my_column = 'test; the string 'test is unterminated. - Execute the corrected query or function directly in the PostgreSQL client (e.g., psql, PgAdmin) to verify it runs without the error.
- If the error is related to data input from an application, validate and sanitize the input to ensure strings are properly quoted before being used in SQL queries.
- Review recent changes to the database schema, functions, or application code that might have introduced the issue. Roll back changes if necessary to restore functionality.
Execute these steps promptly to identify and correct the cause of the "Unterminated C String" error in your PostgreSQL database.
