Re: SELECT INTO without columns or star - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

"David G. Johnston" <david.g.johnston@gmail.com> writes:
> On Fri, Mar 31, 2023 at 8:10 AM Zhang Mingli <zmlpostgres@gmail.com> wrote:
>> When I exec a sql SELECT INTO without columns or * by mistake, it succeeds:

> Yes, a table may have zero columns by design.

Yup, we've allowed that for some time now; see the compatibility comments
at the bottom of the SELECT man page.

psql's display of zero-column results is a bit weird, which maybe
somebody should fix sometime:

regression=# select from generate_series(1,4);
--
(4 rows)

I'd expect four blank lines there.  Expanded format is even less sane:

regression=# \x
Expanded display is on.
regression=# select from generate_series(1,4);
(4 rows)

ISTM that should produce

[ RECORD 1 ]
[ RECORD 2 ]
[ RECORD 3 ]
[ RECORD 4 ]

and no "(4 rows)" footer, because \x mode doesn't normally print that.

This is all just cosmetic of course, but it's still confusing.

            regards, tom lane