Re: Clarify deleting comments and security labels in synopsis - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us> writes:

> =?utf-8?Q?Dagfinn_Ilmari_Manns=C3=A5ker?= <ilmari@ilmari.org> writes:
>> A user on IRC was confused about how to delete a security label using
>> the `SECURITY LABLEL ON … IS …` command, and looking at the docs I can
>> see why.
>
>> The synopsis just says `IS 'label'`, which implies that it can only be a
>> string. It's not until you read the description for `label` that you
>> see "or `NULL` to drop the security label."  I propose making the
>> synopsis say `IS { 'label' | NULL }` to make it clear that it can be
>> NULL as well.  The same applies to `COMMENT ON … IS …`, which I've also
>> changed similarly in the attached.
>
> Agreed; as-is, the syntax summary is not just confusing but outright
> wrong.
>
> I think we could go further and split the entry under Parameters
> to match:
>
>     'text'
>         The new comment (must be a simple string literal,
>         not an expression).
>
>     NULL
>         Write NULL to drop the comment.

Makes sense. Something like the attached v2?

>             regards, tom lane

- ilmari

From 0fb27fc8a5f484b87df6068076987719f0fb79bf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: =?UTF-8?q?Dagfinn=20Ilmari=20Manns=C3=A5ker?= <ilmari@ilmari.org>
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2023 16:05:20 +0000
Subject: [PATCH v2] Clarify that COMMENT and SECURITY LABEL can be set to NULL
 in the synopses

This was only mentioned in the description of the text/label, which
are marked as being in quotes in the synopsis, which can cause
confusion (as witnessed on IRC).

Also separate the literal and NULL case in the parameter list, per
suggestion from Tom Lane.
---
 doc/src/sgml/ref/comment.sgml        | 16 ++++++++++++----
 doc/src/sgml/ref/security_label.sgml | 16 ++++++++++++----
 2 files changed, 24 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/comment.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/comment.sgml
index 7499da1d62..470a6d0b5c 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/comment.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/comment.sgml
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
   TRIGGER <replaceable class="parameter">trigger_name</replaceable> ON <replaceable
class="parameter">table_name</replaceable>|
 
   TYPE <replaceable class="parameter">object_name</replaceable> |
   VIEW <replaceable class="parameter">object_name</replaceable>
-} IS '<replaceable class="parameter">text</replaceable>'
+} IS { '<replaceable class="parameter">text</replaceable>' | NULL }
 
 <phrase>where <replaceable>aggregate_signature</replaceable> is:</phrase>
 
@@ -263,11 +263,19 @@
     </varlistentry>
 
    <varlistentry>
-    <term><replaceable class="parameter">text</replaceable></term>
+    <term><literal>'</literal><replaceable class="parameter">text</replaceable><literal>'</literal></term>
     <listitem>
      <para>
-      The new comment, written as a string literal; or <literal>NULL</literal>
-      to drop the comment.
+      The new comment, written as a string literal.
+     </para>
+    </listitem>
+   </varlistentry>
+
+   <varlistentry>
+    <term><literal>NULL</literal></term>
+    <listitem>
+     <para>
+      Write <literal>NULL</literal> to drop the comment.
      </para>
     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/security_label.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/security_label.sgml
index 20a839ff0c..e4eee77932 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/security_label.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/security_label.sgml
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
   TABLESPACE <replaceable class="parameter">object_name</replaceable> |
   TYPE <replaceable class="parameter">object_name</replaceable> |
   VIEW <replaceable class="parameter">object_name</replaceable>
-} IS '<replaceable class="parameter">label</replaceable>'
+} IS { '<replaceable class="parameter">label</replaceable>' | NULL }
 
 <phrase>where <replaceable>aggregate_signature</replaceable> is:</phrase>
 
@@ -178,11 +178,19 @@
     </varlistentry>
 
    <varlistentry>
-    <term><replaceable class="parameter">label</replaceable></term>
+    <term><literal>'</literal><replaceable class="parameter">label</replaceable><literal>'</literal></term>
     <listitem>
      <para>
-      The new security label, written as a string literal; or <literal>NULL</literal>
-      to drop the security label.
+      The new security label, written as a string literal.
+     </para>
+    </listitem>
+   </varlistentry>
+
+   <varlistentry>
+    <term><literal>NULL</literal>></term>
+    <listitem>
+     <para>
+      Write <literal>NULL</literal> to drop the security label.
      </para>
     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
-- 
2.34.1