Re: Bruce's Book and Built-in Functions - Mailing list pgsql-sql

From Bruce Momjian
Subject Re: Bruce's Book and Built-in Functions
Date
Msg-id 200101170528.AAA00223@candle.pha.pa.us
Whole thread Raw
In response to Bruce's Book and Built-in Functions  ("Josh Berkus" <josh@agliodbs.com>)
List pgsql-sql
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> Folks,
> 
> Well, I now have a copy of Bruce's book on order.  Bruce, if
> your sales have been slow, don't let A-W blame it on the
> online draft.  According to Stacy's, it takes them an

Sold 2,155 copies in the first month.  I know they think that is a good
sales number.  Having it online is clearly a win.

Frankly, I can't buy a book without seeing it.  I need to know it is
written in style that emphasizes concepts, rather than emphasizing
examples.

So, to choose a book, I either have to see it in a book store, or browse
it online.

> average of 7 working days to get Ingram to cough up a new
> copy, which is twice the normal period for tech books.  As a
> result, they're out of stock a lot.

They only printed 6k copies, so they went through >1/3 of the books in
the first month.  My guess is that they are trying to prioritize the
distribution.

> 
> Plus www.postgresql.org could do a little more to promote
> the book.  There's *still* nothing on the web site to tell
> me the book's in print. HINT, HINT.

Well, the web site mentions my book, and the book web page says it is in
print.

> 
> So, while I wait for my copy ... I can't find in the online
> docs anywhere a comprehensive list of built-in functions.
> You know, stuff like CURRVAL() and NOW().  Can anyone point
> me to such a list?  Guessing parameters is getting
> frustrating!

Sure, chapter 9 has it.  See the online version.  There is a huge table,
though currval is mentioned in the sequences chapter because it is not
like normal functions.

--  Bruce Momjian                        |  http://candle.pha.pa.us pgman@candle.pha.pa.us               |  (610)
853-3000+  If your life is a hard drive,     |  830 Blythe Avenue +  Christ can be your backup.        |  Drexel Hill,
Pennsylvania19026
 


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