--- slug: /en/sql-reference/functions/ext-dict-functions sidebar_position: 58 sidebar_label: External Dictionaries --- :::note For dictionaries created with [DDL queries](../../sql-reference/statements/create/dictionary.md), the `dict_name` parameter must be fully specified, like `.`. Otherwise, the current database is used. ::: # Functions for Working with External Dictionaries For information on connecting and configuring external dictionaries, see [External dictionaries](../../sql-reference/dictionaries/external-dictionaries/external-dicts.md). ## dictGet, dictGetOrDefault, dictGetOrNull Retrieves values from an external dictionary. ``` sql dictGet('dict_name', attr_names, id_expr) dictGetOrDefault('dict_name', attr_names, id_expr, default_value_expr) dictGetOrNull('dict_name', attr_name, id_expr) ``` **Arguments** - `dict_name` — Name of the dictionary. [String literal](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-string-literal). - `attr_names` — Name of the column of the dictionary, [String literal](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-string-literal), or tuple of column names, [Tuple](../../sql-reference/data-types/tuple.md)([String literal](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-string-literal)). - `id_expr` — Key value. [Expression](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-expressions) returning dictionary key-type value or [Tuple](../../sql-reference/data-types/tuple.md)-type value depending on the dictionary configuration. - `default_value_expr` — Values returned if the dictionary does not contain a row with the `id_expr` key. [Expression](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-expressions) or [Tuple](../../sql-reference/data-types/tuple.md)([Expression](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-expressions)), returning the value (or values) in the data types configured for the `attr_names` attribute. **Returned value** - If ClickHouse parses the attribute successfully in the [attribute’s data type](../../sql-reference/dictionaries/external-dictionaries/external-dicts-dict-structure.md#ext_dict_structure-attributes), functions return the value of the dictionary attribute that corresponds to `id_expr`. - If there is no the key, corresponding to `id_expr`, in the dictionary, then: - `dictGet` returns the content of the `` element specified for the attribute in the dictionary configuration. - `dictGetOrDefault` returns the value passed as the `default_value_expr` parameter. - `dictGetOrNull` returns `NULL` in case key was not found in dictionary. ClickHouse throws an exception if it cannot parse the value of the attribute or the value does not match the attribute data type. **Example for simple key dictionary** Create a text file `ext-dict-test.csv` containing the following: ``` text 1,1 2,2 ``` The first column is `id`, the second column is `c1`. Configure the external dictionary: ``` xml ext-dict-test /path-to/ext-dict-test.csv CSV id c1 UInt32 0 ``` Perform the query: ``` sql SELECT dictGetOrDefault('ext-dict-test', 'c1', number + 1, toUInt32(number * 10)) AS val, toTypeName(val) AS type FROM system.numbers LIMIT 3; ``` ``` text ┌─val─┬─type───┐ │ 1 │ UInt32 │ │ 2 │ UInt32 │ │ 20 │ UInt32 │ └─────┴────────┘ ``` **Example for complex key dictionary** Create a text file `ext-dict-mult.csv` containing the following: ``` text 1,1,'1' 2,2,'2' 3,3,'3' ``` The first column is `id`, the second is `c1`, the third is `c2`. Configure the external dictionary: ``` xml ext-dict-mult /path-to/ext-dict-mult.csv CSV id c1 UInt32 c2 String 0 ``` Perform the query: ``` sql SELECT dictGet('ext-dict-mult', ('c1','c2'), number) AS val, toTypeName(val) AS type FROM system.numbers LIMIT 3; ``` ``` text ┌─val─────┬─type──────────────────┐ │ (1,'1') │ Tuple(UInt8, String) │ │ (2,'2') │ Tuple(UInt8, String) │ │ (3,'3') │ Tuple(UInt8, String) │ └─────────┴───────────────────────┘ ``` **Example for range key dictionary** Input table: ```sql CREATE TABLE range_key_dictionary_source_table ( key UInt64, start_date Date, end_date Date, value String, value_nullable Nullable(String) ) ENGINE = TinyLog(); INSERT INTO range_key_dictionary_source_table VALUES(1, toDate('2019-05-20'), toDate('2019-05-20'), 'First', 'First'); INSERT INTO range_key_dictionary_source_table VALUES(2, toDate('2019-05-20'), toDate('2019-05-20'), 'Second', NULL); INSERT INTO range_key_dictionary_source_table VALUES(3, toDate('2019-05-20'), toDate('2019-05-20'), 'Third', 'Third'); ``` Create the external dictionary: ```sql CREATE DICTIONARY range_key_dictionary ( key UInt64, start_date Date, end_date Date, value String, value_nullable Nullable(String) ) PRIMARY KEY key SOURCE(CLICKHOUSE(HOST 'localhost' PORT tcpPort() TABLE 'range_key_dictionary_source_table')) LIFETIME(MIN 1 MAX 1000) LAYOUT(RANGE_HASHED()) RANGE(MIN start_date MAX end_date); ``` Perform the query: ``` sql SELECT (number, toDate('2019-05-20')), dictHas('range_key_dictionary', number, toDate('2019-05-20')), dictGetOrNull('range_key_dictionary', 'value', number, toDate('2019-05-20')), dictGetOrNull('range_key_dictionary', 'value_nullable', number, toDate('2019-05-20')), dictGetOrNull('range_key_dictionary', ('value', 'value_nullable'), number, toDate('2019-05-20')) FROM system.numbers LIMIT 5 FORMAT TabSeparated; ``` Result: ``` text (0,'2019-05-20') 0 \N \N (NULL,NULL) (1,'2019-05-20') 1 First First ('First','First') (2,'2019-05-20') 1 Second \N ('Second',NULL) (3,'2019-05-20') 1 Third Third ('Third','Third') (4,'2019-05-20') 0 \N \N (NULL,NULL) ``` **See Also** - [External Dictionaries](../../sql-reference/dictionaries/external-dictionaries/external-dicts.md) ## dictHas Checks whether a key is present in a dictionary. ``` sql dictHas('dict_name', id_expr) ``` **Arguments** - `dict_name` — Name of the dictionary. [String literal](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-string-literal). - `id_expr` — Key value. [Expression](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-expressions) returning dictionary key-type value or [Tuple](../../sql-reference/data-types/tuple.md)-type value depending on the dictionary configuration. **Returned value** - 0, if there is no key. - 1, if there is a key. Type: `UInt8`. ## dictGetHierarchy Creates an array, containing all the parents of a key in the [hierarchical dictionary](../../sql-reference/dictionaries/external-dictionaries/external-dicts-dict-hierarchical.md). **Syntax** ``` sql dictGetHierarchy('dict_name', key) ``` **Arguments** - `dict_name` — Name of the dictionary. [String literal](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-string-literal). - `key` — Key value. [Expression](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-expressions) returning a [UInt64](../../sql-reference/data-types/int-uint.md)-type value. **Returned value** - Parents for the key. Type: [Array(UInt64)](../../sql-reference/data-types/array.md). ## dictIsIn Checks the ancestor of a key through the whole hierarchical chain in the dictionary. ``` sql dictIsIn('dict_name', child_id_expr, ancestor_id_expr) ``` **Arguments** - `dict_name` — Name of the dictionary. [String literal](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-string-literal). - `child_id_expr` — Key to be checked. [Expression](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-expressions) returning a [UInt64](../../sql-reference/data-types/int-uint.md)-type value. - `ancestor_id_expr` — Alleged ancestor of the `child_id_expr` key. [Expression](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-expressions) returning a [UInt64](../../sql-reference/data-types/int-uint.md)-type value. **Returned value** - 0, if `child_id_expr` is not a child of `ancestor_id_expr`. - 1, if `child_id_expr` is a child of `ancestor_id_expr` or if `child_id_expr` is an `ancestor_id_expr`. Type: `UInt8`. ## dictGetChildren Returns first-level children as an array of indexes. It is the inverse transformation for [dictGetHierarchy](#dictgethierarchy). **Syntax** ``` sql dictGetChildren(dict_name, key) ``` **Arguments** - `dict_name` — Name of the dictionary. [String literal](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-string-literal). - `key` — Key value. [Expression](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-expressions) returning a [UInt64](../../sql-reference/data-types/int-uint.md)-type value. **Returned values** - First-level descendants for the key. Type: [Array](../../sql-reference/data-types/array.md)([UInt64](../../sql-reference/data-types/int-uint.md)). **Example** Consider the hierarchic dictionary: ``` text ┌─id─┬─parent_id─┐ │ 1 │ 0 │ │ 2 │ 1 │ │ 3 │ 1 │ │ 4 │ 2 │ └────┴───────────┘ ``` First-level children: ``` sql SELECT dictGetChildren('hierarchy_flat_dictionary', number) FROM system.numbers LIMIT 4; ``` ``` text ┌─dictGetChildren('hierarchy_flat_dictionary', number)─┐ │ [1] │ │ [2,3] │ │ [4] │ │ [] │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` ## dictGetDescendant Returns all descendants as if [dictGetChildren](#dictgetchildren) function was applied `level` times recursively. **Syntax** ``` sql dictGetDescendants(dict_name, key, level) ``` **Arguments** - `dict_name` — Name of the dictionary. [String literal](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-string-literal). - `key` — Key value. [Expression](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-expressions) returning a [UInt64](../../sql-reference/data-types/int-uint.md)-type value. - `level` — Hierarchy level. If `level = 0` returns all descendants to the end. [UInt8](../../sql-reference/data-types/int-uint.md). **Returned values** - Descendants for the key. Type: [Array](../../sql-reference/data-types/array.md)([UInt64](../../sql-reference/data-types/int-uint.md)). **Example** Consider the hierarchic dictionary: ``` text ┌─id─┬─parent_id─┐ │ 1 │ 0 │ │ 2 │ 1 │ │ 3 │ 1 │ │ 4 │ 2 │ └────┴───────────┘ ``` All descendants: ``` sql SELECT dictGetDescendants('hierarchy_flat_dictionary', number) FROM system.numbers LIMIT 4; ``` ``` text ┌─dictGetDescendants('hierarchy_flat_dictionary', number)─┐ │ [1,2,3,4] │ │ [2,3,4] │ │ [4] │ │ [] │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` First-level descendants: ``` sql SELECT dictGetDescendants('hierarchy_flat_dictionary', number, 1) FROM system.numbers LIMIT 4; ``` ``` text ┌─dictGetDescendants('hierarchy_flat_dictionary', number, 1)─┐ │ [1] │ │ [2,3] │ │ [4] │ │ [] │ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` ## Other Functions ClickHouse supports specialized functions that convert dictionary attribute values to a specific data type regardless of the dictionary configuration. Functions: - `dictGetInt8`, `dictGetInt16`, `dictGetInt32`, `dictGetInt64` - `dictGetUInt8`, `dictGetUInt16`, `dictGetUInt32`, `dictGetUInt64` - `dictGetFloat32`, `dictGetFloat64` - `dictGetDate` - `dictGetDateTime` - `dictGetUUID` - `dictGetString` All these functions have the `OrDefault` modification. For example, `dictGetDateOrDefault`. Syntax: ``` sql dictGet[Type]('dict_name', 'attr_name', id_expr) dictGet[Type]OrDefault('dict_name', 'attr_name', id_expr, default_value_expr) ``` **Arguments** - `dict_name` — Name of the dictionary. [String literal](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-string-literal). - `attr_name` — Name of the column of the dictionary. [String literal](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-string-literal). - `id_expr` — Key value. [Expression](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-expressions) returning a [UInt64](../../sql-reference/data-types/int-uint.md) or [Tuple](../../sql-reference/data-types/tuple.md)-type value depending on the dictionary configuration. - `default_value_expr` — Value returned if the dictionary does not contain a row with the `id_expr` key. [Expression](../../sql-reference/syntax.md#syntax-expressions) returning the value in the data type configured for the `attr_name` attribute. **Returned value** - If ClickHouse parses the attribute successfully in the [attribute’s data type](../../sql-reference/dictionaries/external-dictionaries/external-dicts-dict-structure.md#ext_dict_structure-attributes), functions return the value of the dictionary attribute that corresponds to `id_expr`. - If there is no requested `id_expr` in the dictionary then: - `dictGet[Type]` returns the content of the `` element specified for the attribute in the dictionary configuration. - `dictGet[Type]OrDefault` returns the value passed as the `default_value_expr` parameter. ClickHouse throws an exception if it cannot parse the value of the attribute or the value does not match the attribute data type.