Use array of composite type as function parameter and access it

I answered a similar question on SO some time ago, to suggest the same solution with unnest() like @a_horse did:

• Array of composite type as stored procedure input

If books_table has the same row type as your composite type books, you do not need to create the additional type at all, just use the row type of the table:

CREATE TABLE books_table (
  book_id numeric
, row_num numeric
, book_owner text
, book_owner_id text
);

PL/pgSQL function

If you need a plpgsql function for some undeclared reason:

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION update_table_variadic(VARIADIC _books_arr books_table[])
  RETURNS TEXT
  LANGUAGE plpgsql AS
$func$
DECLARE
   b books_table;
BEGIN
   FOREACH b IN ARRAY _books_arr
   LOOP
      INSERT INTO books_table  -- rare case where column list is no improvement
      SELECT b.*;
   END LOOP;

   RETURN 'Saved';

EXCEPTION WHEN others THEN
   RETURN 'Failure';
END
$func$;

Example call with list of row values:

SELECT update_table_variadic('(2,100,Arthur,1)', '(2,50,Zaphod,1)');

Without using VARIADIC, the function call would require a single array parameter.

Either an array literal (optionally with explicit cast):

SELECT update_table('{"(1,100,Arthur,1)","(1,50,Zaphod,1)"}'::books_table[]);

See:

• How to call PostgreSQL function with array of rowtype as parameter from Java
• How to pass custom type array to Postgres function

Or you can use an array constructor like @a_horse demonstrates. Array literals are often easier to provide.

Major points:

Use the simpler FOREACH to loop over an array. See:

• Postgres - array for loop

Avoid CaMeL-case names in Postgres unless you know what you are doing.

(Optionally) use a VARIADIC parameter to simplify the syntax for the function call. Then you can provide a list of row values. Note the maximum number of function parameters (default 100) if you go with VARIADIC:

• Select rows such that names match elements of input array for pgsql function

SQL function

If you don't need to catch the exception, and you also don't need the string 'Saved' / 'Failure' to be returned, simplify:

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION update_table_set(VARIADIC _books_arr books_table[])
  RETURNS void
  LANGUAGE sql AS
$func$
   INSERT INTO books_table
   SELECT * FROM unnest(_books_arr) b;
$func$;

db<>fiddle here
_{Old sqlfiddle}

To create an array of a type, use an explicit array constructor:

array[(1,100,'Arthur',1), (1,50,'Zaphod',1)]::books[]

So to call your function you would need to use:

select update_table(array[(1,100,'Arthur',1), (1,50,'Zaphod',1)]::books[])

But your function has an error: after the loop you are missing a return statement, because the one in the exception block is only executed if an exception occurs.

So you need something like this:

begin 

  .... 

  STATUS:='Saved';
  return status;  ---<<< this is missing

  exception when others then
    STATUS:='failure';
    RETURN STATUS; --<<< this is only execute if an exception occurs

END;

Alternatively you need another begin .. end; block:

begin 

  begin    
    for ... 
    end loop;

    STATUS:='Saved';

  exception when others then
    STATUS:='failure';
  end;

  RETURN STATUS; 
END;

Unrelated, but: you don't need the loop to iterate over the array. You can do that more efficiently using a single statement:

INSERT INTO books_table 
   (Book_ID, Row_Num, Book_OWNER, Book_OWNER_ID)
select *
from unnest(row_book);