---
title: "SPI_getbinval"
id: spi-spi-getbinval
pg_version: "20devel"
---

<a id="spi-spi-getbinval"></a>

# SPI_getbinval — return the binary value of the specified column

## Synopsis

```
Datum SPI_getbinval(HeapTuple row, TupleDesc rowdesc, int colnumber,
                    bool * isnull)
```

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## Description

`SPI_getbinval` returns the value of the specified column in the internal form (as type `Datum`). 

This function does not allocate new space for the datum. In the case of a pass-by-reference data type, the return value will be a pointer into the passed row. 

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## Arguments

**`HeapTuple row`**

 input row to be examined **`TupleDesc rowdesc`**

 input row description **`int colnumber`**

 column number (count starts at 1) **`bool * isnull`**

 flag for a null value in the column <a id="id-1.8.12.9.7.7"></a>

## Return Value

The binary value of the column is returned. The variable pointed to by `isnull` is set to true if the column is null, else to false. 

`SPI_result` is set to `SPI_ERROR_NOATTRIBUTE` on error.