Re: Notes or comments on columns in a table - Mailing list pgsql-admin

From Craig James
Subject Re: Notes or comments on columns in a table
Date
Msg-id CAFwQ8rfcuw8FsBVa9_Spjg+mmyw0TnLpjtiRwZ84enGpRWZVjw@mail.gmail.com
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In response to Notes or comments on columns in a table  ("Campbell, Lance" <lance@illinois.edu>)
List pgsql-admin


On Thu, Feb 14, 2013 at 11:09 AM, Campbell, Lance <lance@illinois.edu> wrote:

PostgreSQL 9.2

When creating a table or altering a column of a table, is there a way to add notes on a column?

 

If not:

I have a new enhancement request.  When creating a table or altering a column, it would be nice if a user could add “comments” or “notes” to a column.  This note would only appear when doing “\d table_name”. 

 

Why?  I was adding a new column to a table called “type”.  Normally I only add types as characters even though integers are much better for indexing.  The problem with integers is I never remember what value means what.  Does a 1 mean directory or file.  So I end up creating “type” as a character so I can do a quick SELECT DISTINCT to figure out the options.  I would use integers if I could do \d table_name to see in the notes section what values meant.  I would think other people run into this issue all the time.


You should use an enumerated type definition.

create type my_file_type (
  'File',
  'Directory',
  'SymLink')

create table foo (
   id integer primary key,
   filetype my_file_type
)

insert into foo(1, 'File');

select * from foo;
  1  File

... and so forth.

Craig

 

 

Thanks,

 

Lance Campbell

Software Architect

Web Services at Public Affairs

217-333-0382

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign logo

 

 


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