PostgreSQL Insert Record: Insert rows in a table to ensure that the value entered in a specific column must exist in the referencing table

11. Write a SQL statement to insert rows into the job_history table in which one column job_id is containing those values which exist in job_id column of jobs table.

Sample Solution:

Code:

Here is the code to create a sample table jobs:

CREATE TABLE jobs ( 
JOB_ID integer NOT NULL UNIQUE PRIMARY KEY, 
JOB_TITLE varchar(35) NOT NULL DEFAULT ' ', 
MIN_SALARY decimal(6,0) DEFAULT 8000, 
MAX_SALARY decimal(6,0) DEFAULT 20000
);

Now insert two rows in the jobs table.

INSERT INTO jobs(JOB_ID,JOB_TITLE) VALUES(1001,'OFFICER');
INSERT INTO jobs(JOB_ID,JOB_TITLE) VALUES(1002,'CLERK');

Here is the command to see the list of inserted rows :

job_id | job_title | min_salary | max_salary
--------+-----------+------------+------------
   1001 | OFFICER   |       8000 |      20000
   1002 | CLERK     |       8000 |      20000
(2 rows)

Here is another table:

CREATE TABLE job_history ( 
EMPLOYEE_ID integer NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY, 
JOB_ID integer NOT NULL, 
DEPARTMENT_ID integer DEFAULT NULL, 
FOREIGN KEY (job_id) REFERENCES jobs(job_id)
);

Now insert the rows in the job_history table.

INSERT INTO job_history VALUES(501,1001,60);

Here is the command to see the list of inserted rows:

postgres=# SELECT  * FROM job_history;
 employee_id | job_id | department_id
-------------+--------+---------------
         501 |   1001 |            60
(1 row)

The value against job_id is 1001 which is exists in the job_id column of the jobs table, so no problem arise.

Now insert another row in the job_history table.

INSERT INTO job_history VALUES(502,1003,80);

Here is the output:

postgres=# INSERT INTO job_history VALUES(502,1003,80);
ERROR:  insert or update on table "job_history" violates foreign key constraint "job_history_job_id_fkey"
DETAIL:  Key (job_id)=(1003) is not present in table "jobs".

Here in the above, the value against job_id is 1003 which is not exists in the job_id column of the jobs(parent table) table and that is why the child table job_history can not contain the value of job_id as specified. Here the primary key - foreign key relationship is violating and shows the above message.

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