Postgresql provides a unique two-way combination of columns

Question

I am trying to create a table that provides a unique combination of two columns of the same type - in both directions. For instance. this would be illegal:

col1 col2
   1    2
   2    1

I came up with this, but it does not work:

database=> \d+ friend;
                                Table "public.friend"
    Column    |           Type           | Modifiers | Storage  | Stats target | Description
--------------+--------------------------+-----------+----------+--------------+-------------
 user_id_from | text                     | not null  | extended |              |
 user_id_to   | text                     | not null  | extended |              |
 status       | text                     | not null  | extended |              |
 sent         | timestamp with time zone | not null  | plain    |              |
 updated      | timestamp with time zone |           | plain    |              |
Indexes:
    "friend_pkey" PRIMARY KEY, btree (user_id_from, user_id_to)
    "friend_user_id_to_user_id_from_key" UNIQUE CONSTRAINT, btree (user_id_to, user_id_from)
Foreign-key constraints:
    "friend_status_fkey" FOREIGN KEY (status) REFERENCES friend_status(name)
    "friend_user_id_from_fkey" FOREIGN KEY (user_id_from) REFERENCES user_account(login)
    "friend_user_id_to_fkey" FOREIGN KEY (user_id_to) REFERENCES user_account(login)
Has OIDs: no

Is it possible to write this without triggers or any advanced magic, using only restrictions?

Answer 1

Neil solution option that needs no extension:

create table friendz (
  from_id int,
  to_id int
);

create unique index ifriendz on friendz(greatest(from_id,to_id), least(from_id,to_id));

Neil's solution allows you to use an arbitrary number of columns.

We both rely on the use of expressions to create the index, which is documented at http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/static/indexes-expressional.html

Answer 2

, intarray ?

int , ...

:

create extension intarray;

create table friendz (
  from_id int,
  to_id int
);

create unique index on friendz ( sort( array[from_id, to_id ] ) );

insert into friendz values (1,2); -- good

insert into friendz values (2,1); -- bad

http://sqlfiddle.com/#!15/c84b7/1