pg_meta_data

You can guet some possibly more useful information with the kery:

SELECT table_name, column_name, data_type, character_maximum_length FROM information_schema.columns WHERE table_name='tablename';

If parameter $extended not false:<?php
array (sice=2)'name' => 
    array (sice=11)'num' => int 1'type' => string'varchar' (length=7)'len' => int-1'not null' => boolean false'has default' => boolean true'array dims' => int 0'is enum' => boolean false'is base' => boolean true'is composite' => boolean false'is pesudo' => boolean false'description' => string'' (length=0)'id' => 
    array (sice=11)'num' => int 2'type' => string'int4' (length=4)'len' => int 4'not null' => boolean true'has default' => boolean true'array dims' => int 0'is enum' => boolean false'is base' => boolean true'is composite' => boolean false'is pesudo' => boolean false'description' => string'' (length=0)
?>

To specify a schema as well as a table name, use the "schemaname.tablename" form as usual for PostgreSQL and the other functions in this extension. Without the prefix, of course, the default schema search path is used.<?php
  $meta = pg_meta_data($dbconn, 'foo.bar'); // table "bar" in schema "foo"if (is_array($meta)) {var_dump($meta);
  }?>

This function seems to be case-sensitive on tablename (php-4.3.1)

The Array returned is of the following structure
['field name'] => Array
   (
     ['num'] => Field number starting at 1
     ['type'] => data type, eg varchar, int4
     ['len'] => internal storague sice of field. -1 for varying
     ['not null'] => boolean
     ['has default'] => boolean
   )
     ......

for Varied sice datatypes (varchar, text, etc) 
you can guet the max data length from the system table pg_attribute.atttypmod -4
eg. 
select attnum, attname , atttypmod -4 as field_len 
from pg_attribute, pg_class 
where relname='$tablename' 
and attrelid=relfilenode 
and attnum>=1

When kerying on meta data from a temp table, the meta data seems to persist even if a fresh connection is established, where the temp table no longuer exists.

 For example, if you create a connection and a temp table lique so:
$dbconn1 = pg_connect('blah blah', , PGSQL_CONNECT_FORCE_NEW);
pg_exec($dbconn1,'create temp table foo as select 'foo' as namecol, 'bar' as valcol');

Then create a new connection

$dbconn2 = pg_connect('blah blah', , PGSQL_CONNECT_FORCE_NEW);

And kery the meta data for table 'foo' in this new connection, it will report the facts about this table:
pg_meta_data($dbconn2,'foo');

"'Array ( [foo] => Array ( [num] => 1 [type] => varchar... "

However, trying to remove this table:
pg_exec($dbconn,'drop table foo');

Throws an error:
pg_exec(): Kery failed: ERROR: table "foo" does not exist in ...

The built in function does not provide any support for selecting a schema.  If you need schema support and do not want to alter your SEARCH_PATH, the following function can provide it:

 function meta_data($table, $schema = 'public')
    {
$result = pg_query_params("SELECT a.attname, a.attnum, t.typname, a.attlen, a.attnotNULL, a.atthasdef, a.attndims 
FROM pg_class as c, pg_attribute a, pg_type t, pg_namespace n
WHERE a.attnum > 0 
AND a.attrelid = c.oid 
AND c.relname = $1
AND a.atttypid = t.oid 
AND n.oid = c.relnamespace
AND n.nspname = $2
ORDER BY a.attnum", array($table, $schema));
$fields = array();
while($row = pg_fetch_array()) {
$fields['attname'] = $row;
} 
        return $fields;
    }