Re: TODO items for window functions - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

From David Fetter
Subject Re: TODO items for window functions
Date
Msg-id 20081230185230.GA12815@fetter.org
Whole thread Raw
In response to Re: TODO items for window functions  (Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>)
Responses Re: TODO items for window functions
List pgsql-hackers
On Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 11:59:22AM -0500, Tom Lane wrote:
> I wrote:
> > You could certainly argue the classification either way, but I
> > think that we should make a hard decision now: either window
> > functions are treated as a distinct object type (implying their
> > own set of command names and nuisance errors if you use the wrong
> > one), or they are not a distinct object type (implying that WINDOW
> > is an attribute for CREATE FUNCTION and not part of the command
> > name).  If we are wishy-washy about it and treat WINDOW as just a
> > noise word in some contexts then we will have user confusion.  The
> > precedent that is bothering me here is all the user confusion that
> > has ensued over whether you can use ALTER TABLE to operate on
> > sequences and views.
> 
> Apparently that analogy didn't impress anyone but me.  AFAICT the
> majority opinion is that we should use the syntax
> 
>     create [or replace] [window] function ...
> 
> but just ignore the distinction between regular functions and window
> functions for all other function-related SQL commands.  Barring further
> discussion, I'll make that happen in the next day or two.

Presumably psql should know about this change.  Should \df now include
windowing functions along with a boolean column that indicates whether
a function is a windowing function?  Should there be \dw[+] instead?

In either case, should the S option indicating "include system
functions only when S is present" (e.g. \dwS) apply?

I'm thinking yes on that last one.

Cheers,
David.
-- 
David Fetter <david@fetter.org> http://fetter.org/
Phone: +1 415 235 3778  AIM: dfetter666  Yahoo!: dfetter
Skype: davidfetter      XMPP: david.fetter@gmail.com

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