external_file

external_file : Access external server-side files through PostgreSQL functions

Overview

ID	Extension	Package	Version	Category	License	Language
4285	external_file	external_file	`1.2`	UTIL	PostgreSQL	SQL

Attribute	Has Binary	Has Library	Need Load	Has DDL	Relocatable	Trusted
----d--	No	No	No	Yes	no	no

Relationships
Schemas	`external_file`

Fixed schema external_file; superuser required.

Packages

Type	Repo	Version	PG Major Compatibility	Package Pattern	Dependencies
EXT	PIGSTY	`1.2`	18 17 16 15 14	`external_file`	-
RPM	PIGSTY	`1.2`	18 17 16 15 14	`external_file_$v`	-
DEB	PIGSTY	`1.2`	18 17 16 15 14	`postgresql-$v-external-file`	-

Linux / PG	PG18	PG17	PG16	PG15	PG14
el8.x86_64	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2
el8.aarch64	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2
el9.x86_64	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2
el9.aarch64	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2
el10.x86_64	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2
el10.aarch64	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2
d12.x86_64	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2
d12.aarch64	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2
d13.x86_64	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2
d13.aarch64	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2
u22.x86_64	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2
u22.aarch64	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2
u24.x86_64	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2
u24.aarch64	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2	PIGSTY 1.2

Package	Version	OS	ORG	SIZE	File URL
`external_file_18`	`1.2`	el8.x86_64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_18-1.2-1PIGSTY.el8.x86_64.rpm
`external_file_18`	`1.2`	el8.aarch64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_18-1.2-1PIGSTY.el8.aarch64.rpm
`external_file_18`	`1.2`	el9.x86_64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_18-1.2-1PIGSTY.el9.x86_64.rpm
`external_file_18`	`1.2`	el9.aarch64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_18-1.2-1PIGSTY.el9.aarch64.rpm
`external_file_18`	`1.2`	el10.x86_64	pigsty	13.0 KiB	external_file_18-1.2-1PIGSTY.el10.x86_64.rpm
`external_file_18`	`1.2`	el10.aarch64	pigsty	13.0 KiB	external_file_18-1.2-1PIGSTY.el10.aarch64.rpm
`postgresql-18-external-file`	`1.2`	d12.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-18-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~bookworm_amd64.deb
`postgresql-18-external-file`	`1.2`	d12.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-18-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~bookworm_arm64.deb
`postgresql-18-external-file`	`1.2`	d13.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-18-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~trixie_amd64.deb
`postgresql-18-external-file`	`1.2`	d13.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-18-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~trixie_arm64.deb
`postgresql-18-external-file`	`1.2`	u22.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-18-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~jammy_amd64.deb
`postgresql-18-external-file`	`1.2`	u22.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-18-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~jammy_arm64.deb
`postgresql-18-external-file`	`1.2`	u24.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-18-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~noble_amd64.deb
`postgresql-18-external-file`	`1.2`	u24.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-18-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~noble_arm64.deb

Package	Version	OS	ORG	SIZE	File URL
`external_file_17`	`1.2`	el8.x86_64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_17-1.2-1PIGSTY.el8.x86_64.rpm
`external_file_17`	`1.2`	el8.aarch64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_17-1.2-1PIGSTY.el8.aarch64.rpm
`external_file_17`	`1.2`	el9.x86_64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_17-1.2-1PIGSTY.el9.x86_64.rpm
`external_file_17`	`1.2`	el9.aarch64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_17-1.2-1PIGSTY.el9.aarch64.rpm
`external_file_17`	`1.2`	el10.x86_64	pigsty	13.0 KiB	external_file_17-1.2-1PIGSTY.el10.x86_64.rpm
`external_file_17`	`1.2`	el10.aarch64	pigsty	13.0 KiB	external_file_17-1.2-1PIGSTY.el10.aarch64.rpm
`postgresql-17-external-file`	`1.2`	d12.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-17-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~bookworm_amd64.deb
`postgresql-17-external-file`	`1.2`	d12.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-17-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~bookworm_arm64.deb
`postgresql-17-external-file`	`1.2`	d13.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-17-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~trixie_amd64.deb
`postgresql-17-external-file`	`1.2`	d13.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-17-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~trixie_arm64.deb
`postgresql-17-external-file`	`1.2`	u22.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-17-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~jammy_amd64.deb
`postgresql-17-external-file`	`1.2`	u22.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-17-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~jammy_arm64.deb
`postgresql-17-external-file`	`1.2`	u24.x86_64	pigsty	7.2 KiB	postgresql-17-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~noble_amd64.deb
`postgresql-17-external-file`	`1.2`	u24.aarch64	pigsty	7.2 KiB	postgresql-17-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~noble_arm64.deb

Package	Version	OS	ORG	SIZE	File URL
`external_file_16`	`1.2`	el8.x86_64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_16-1.2-1PIGSTY.el8.x86_64.rpm
`external_file_16`	`1.2`	el8.aarch64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_16-1.2-1PIGSTY.el8.aarch64.rpm
`external_file_16`	`1.2`	el9.x86_64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_16-1.2-1PIGSTY.el9.x86_64.rpm
`external_file_16`	`1.2`	el9.aarch64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_16-1.2-1PIGSTY.el9.aarch64.rpm
`external_file_16`	`1.2`	el10.x86_64	pigsty	13.0 KiB	external_file_16-1.2-1PIGSTY.el10.x86_64.rpm
`external_file_16`	`1.2`	el10.aarch64	pigsty	13.0 KiB	external_file_16-1.2-1PIGSTY.el10.aarch64.rpm
`postgresql-16-external-file`	`1.2`	d12.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-16-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~bookworm_amd64.deb
`postgresql-16-external-file`	`1.2`	d12.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-16-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~bookworm_arm64.deb
`postgresql-16-external-file`	`1.2`	d13.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-16-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~trixie_amd64.deb
`postgresql-16-external-file`	`1.2`	d13.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-16-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~trixie_arm64.deb
`postgresql-16-external-file`	`1.2`	u22.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-16-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~jammy_amd64.deb
`postgresql-16-external-file`	`1.2`	u22.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-16-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~jammy_arm64.deb
`postgresql-16-external-file`	`1.2`	u24.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-16-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~noble_amd64.deb
`postgresql-16-external-file`	`1.2`	u24.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-16-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~noble_arm64.deb

Package	Version	OS	ORG	SIZE	File URL
`external_file_15`	`1.2`	el8.x86_64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_15-1.2-1PIGSTY.el8.x86_64.rpm
`external_file_15`	`1.2`	el8.aarch64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_15-1.2-1PIGSTY.el8.aarch64.rpm
`external_file_15`	`1.2`	el9.x86_64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_15-1.2-1PIGSTY.el9.x86_64.rpm
`external_file_15`	`1.2`	el9.aarch64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_15-1.2-1PIGSTY.el9.aarch64.rpm
`external_file_15`	`1.2`	el10.x86_64	pigsty	13.0 KiB	external_file_15-1.2-1PIGSTY.el10.x86_64.rpm
`external_file_15`	`1.2`	el10.aarch64	pigsty	13.0 KiB	external_file_15-1.2-1PIGSTY.el10.aarch64.rpm
`postgresql-15-external-file`	`1.2`	d12.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-15-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~bookworm_amd64.deb
`postgresql-15-external-file`	`1.2`	d12.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-15-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~bookworm_arm64.deb
`postgresql-15-external-file`	`1.2`	d13.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-15-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~trixie_amd64.deb
`postgresql-15-external-file`	`1.2`	d13.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-15-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~trixie_arm64.deb
`postgresql-15-external-file`	`1.2`	u22.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-15-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~jammy_amd64.deb
`postgresql-15-external-file`	`1.2`	u22.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-15-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~jammy_arm64.deb
`postgresql-15-external-file`	`1.2`	u24.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-15-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~noble_amd64.deb
`postgresql-15-external-file`	`1.2`	u24.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-15-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~noble_arm64.deb

Package	Version	OS	ORG	SIZE	File URL
`external_file_14`	`1.2`	el8.x86_64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_14-1.2-1PIGSTY.el8.x86_64.rpm
`external_file_14`	`1.2`	el8.aarch64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_14-1.2-1PIGSTY.el8.aarch64.rpm
`external_file_14`	`1.2`	el9.x86_64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_14-1.2-1PIGSTY.el9.x86_64.rpm
`external_file_14`	`1.2`	el9.aarch64	pigsty	12.9 KiB	external_file_14-1.2-1PIGSTY.el9.aarch64.rpm
`external_file_14`	`1.2`	el10.x86_64	pigsty	13.0 KiB	external_file_14-1.2-1PIGSTY.el10.x86_64.rpm
`external_file_14`	`1.2`	el10.aarch64	pigsty	13.0 KiB	external_file_14-1.2-1PIGSTY.el10.aarch64.rpm
`postgresql-14-external-file`	`1.2`	d12.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-14-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~bookworm_amd64.deb
`postgresql-14-external-file`	`1.2`	d12.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-14-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~bookworm_arm64.deb
`postgresql-14-external-file`	`1.2`	d13.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-14-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~trixie_amd64.deb
`postgresql-14-external-file`	`1.2`	d13.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-14-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~trixie_arm64.deb
`postgresql-14-external-file`	`1.2`	u22.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-14-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~jammy_amd64.deb
`postgresql-14-external-file`	`1.2`	u22.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-14-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~jammy_arm64.deb
`postgresql-14-external-file`	`1.2`	u24.x86_64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-14-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~noble_amd64.deb
`postgresql-14-external-file`	`1.2`	u24.aarch64	pigsty	7.1 KiB	postgresql-14-external-file_1.2-1PIGSTY~noble_arm64.deb

Source

Repository

github.com/darold/external_file

Source Tarball

external_file-1.2.tar.gz

pig build pkg external_file;		# build rpm/deb

Install

Make sure PGDG and PIGSTY repo available:

pig repo add pgsql -u   # add both repo and update cache

Install this extension with pig:

pig install external_file;		# install via package name, for the active PG version

pig install external_file -v 18;   # install for PG 18
pig install external_file -v 17;   # install for PG 17
pig install external_file -v 16;   # install for PG 16
pig install external_file -v 15;   # install for PG 15
pig install external_file -v 14;   # install for PG 14

Create this extension with:

CREATE EXTENSION external_file;

Usage

Source: GitHub repo, README
external_file provides server-side access to external files through a PostgreSQL extension, similar to Oracle BFILE-style locators.

CREATE EXTENSION external_file;

The README states that objects are created in the external_file schema by default and that creating the extension requires a PostgreSQL superuser.

Core Workflow

The extension uses a directory alias plus a file name to identify an external file. The upstream README shows this sequence:

INSERT INTO directories(directory_name, directory_path)
VALUES ('temporary', '/tmp/');

INSERT INTO directory_roles(directory_name, directory_role, directory_read, directory_write)
VALUES ('temporary', 'a_role', true, false);

SELECT writeEfile('\x48656c6c6f2c0a0a596f75206172652072656164696e67206120746578742066696c652e0a0a526567617264732c0a',
                  ('temporary', 'blahblah.txt'));
SELECT readefile(the_file) FROM efile_test;
SELECT copyefile(('temporary', 'blahblah.txt'), ('temporary', 'copy_blahblah.txt'));

The main exported helpers are efilename, readEfile, writeEfile, copyEfile, and getEfilePath.

Notes

The extension does not read files directly from the server filesystem. It uses the server-side lo_* family and enforces access through directory and role tables.

Last updated on 2026-04-14

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