# Why don't add a CALL \<cypherFileName.cyp\> {} instruction?

**URL:** <https://community.neo4j.com/t/why-dont-add-a-call-cypherfilename-cyp-instruction/55121>\
**Category:** Cypher\
**Tags:** cypher\
**Created:** [April 21, 2022, 10:52am UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/why-dont-add-a-call-cypherfilename-cyp-instruction/55121 "2022-04-21T10:52:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![paolodipietro58](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex021/user_avatar/community.neo4j.com/paolodipietro58/32/21045_2.png) [@paolodipietro58](https://community.neo4j.com/u/paolodipietro58)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2022, 10:52am UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/why-dont-add-a-call-cypherfilename-cyp-instruction/55121/1 "2022-04-21T10:52:36Z")

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I'm using quite extensively the `CALL {}` subquery instruction.

I believe that an extension, to allow calling a reusable subquery should be extremely useful:

I'm thinking to something like the following:

```auto
CALL 'filename.cyp' WITH x1 AS y1, ..., xn AS yn {
   WITH y1, ..., yn
}

```

Feedback will be appreciated.

Paolo

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**Author:** ![giuseppe\_villan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex021/user_avatar/community.neo4j.com/giuseppe_villan/32/11871_2.png) [@giuseppe\_villan](https://community.neo4j.com/u/giuseppe_villan)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2022, 2:03pm UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/why-dont-add-a-call-cypherfilename-cyp-instruction/55121/2 "2022-04-21T14:03:08Z")

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@paolodipietro58

At least personally, it's not fully clear what do you have in mind,  
How should the file `'filename.cyp'` be?  
  
  
Maybe with the APOC, in particular this [apoc.cypher.runFile - APOC Extended Documentation](https://neo4j.com/labs/apoc/4.4/overview/apoc.cypher/apoc.cypher.runFile/)  
you could create your repetitive queries.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![paolodipietro58](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex021/user_avatar/community.neo4j.com/paolodipietro58/32/21045_2.png) [@paolodipietro58](https://community.neo4j.com/u/paolodipietro58)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2022, 3:59pm UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/why-dont-add-a-call-cypherfilename-cyp-instruction/55121/3 "2022-04-21T15:59:12Z")

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It is just like a function!  
Imagine to have the following query fragment:

```auto
CALL {
    WITH item1, item2
    WITH item1, item2
        WHERE item2 IS NOT NULL

    MERGE (item1)-[h:VERB]->(item2)
}

CALL {
    WITH item1, item2
    WITH item1, item2
        WHERE item2 IS NULL
    
    MERGE (error:Error)
    MERGE (item1)-[h:ERROR_MSG]->(error)
}

```

The fragment could be saved in a file, named 'fragment.cyp` then I'd call the fragment as:

```auto
CALL 'fragment.cyp' WITH order AS item1, item AS item2, :HAS AS :VERB, :HAS_NO_ITEM as :ERROR_MSG

```

and

```auto
CALL 'fragment.cyp' WITH organisation AS item1, store AS item2, :HAS AS :VERB, :HAS_NO_ORGANIZATION as :ERROR_MSG

```

Maybe I should achieve the same result with the `apoc.cypher.runfile` you just cited, but please, can you transform my example in a query running with the apoc, and show me how should I pass the actual parameters?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![giuseppe\_villan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex021/user_avatar/community.neo4j.com/giuseppe_villan/32/11871_2.png) [@giuseppe\_villan](https://community.neo4j.com/u/giuseppe_villan)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 9:24am UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/why-dont-add-a-call-cypherfilename-cyp-instruction/55121/4 "2022-04-22T09:24:00Z")

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Regarding `MERGE (item1)-[h:VERB]->(item2)` and `MERGE (item1)-[h:ERROR_MSG]->(error)`,  
afaik the type relationship cannot be parameterized.

You can use the equivalent `apoc.merge.relationship` but in this case you cannot use a subquery structure like your because of `WHERE item2 IS NOT NULL` which, unlike MERGE, block the query in the first subquery if item2 is not null.

However with this structure you can use the apoc.do.case(condition, firstQuery, secondQuery, {}) procedure, where `firstQuery` will be executed when `item2 IS NOT NULL`, otherwise the `secondQuery`.  
  
  
So you can create this file `filename.cypher`:

```auto
CALL apoc.do.when($item2 IS NOT NULL, 
	"CALL apoc.merge.relationship(item1, type1, {}, {}, item2) YIELD rel RETURN 1", 
	"MERGE (error:Error) WITH error, item1, item2, type2 CALL apoc.merge.relationship(item1, type2, {}, {}, error) YIELD rel RETURN 1",
	{item1: $item1, item2: $item2, type1: $type1, type2: $type2});

```

  

and then execute:

```auto
match (organization:Organization)
with organization, null as store // this is an example to be changed
 // pass your query....
// ... here is the code
call apoc.cypher.runFile("filename.cypher", 
    {parameters: {item1: organization, item2: store, type1: "HAS", type2: "HAS_NO_ORGANIZATION"}})
// in parameters I pass the parameters $item1, $item2, $type1 and $type2 present in filename.cypher
yield result, row
return result, row

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![paolodipietro58](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex021/user_avatar/community.neo4j.com/paolodipietro58/32/21045_2.png) [@paolodipietro58](https://community.neo4j.com/u/paolodipietro58)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 12:16pm UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/why-dont-add-a-call-cypherfilename-cyp-instruction/55121/5 "2022-04-22T12:16:44Z")

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@giuseppe_villan Thank you `Giuseppi`. Your solution surely runs, but it looks supercomplicate the problem.

if it is not possible parametrize the relationships, the game is not worth the candle!