How to run an ad-hoc script in PostgreSQL?

Question

I'm trying to run this in PostgreSQL 9.2:

RAISE NOTICE 'hello, world!'; 

And the server says:

Error : ERROR:  syntax error at or near "RAISE" LINE 1: RAISE NOTICE 'hello, world!'         ^ 

Why?

Answer 1

Use an anonymous code block:

DO language plpgsql $$ BEGIN   RAISE NOTICE 'hello, world!'; END $$; 

Variables are referenced using %:

RAISE NOTICE '%', variable_name; 

Answer 2

raise is PL/pgSQL only.

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/static/plpgsql-errors-and-messages.html

create or replace function r(error_message text) returns void as $$ begin     raise notice '%', error_message; end; $$ language plpgsql;  select r('an error message'); NOTICE:  an error message