Thread: BUG #2177: (minor:) pgsql: Trailing semicolon on \d treated as argument
The following bug has been logged online: Bug reference: 2177 Logged by: Giles Morant Email address: giles.pg@chaletpomme.com PostgreSQL version: 8.1.1 Operating system: Linux (Gentoo) Description: (minor:) pgsql: Trailing semicolon on \d treated as argument Details: When describing tables/view/indexes using \d, a semi-colon is optional: e.g. \d users; or: \d users Both give the same (correct) results. However, if there is a space between "users" and the semi-colon, the semi-colon is then treated as an argument and this occurs: \d users ; <cut lots of table info> \d: extra argument ";" ignored The semi-colon should be ignored silently, in my view- "SELECT 1+2 ;" for example doesn't raise an alert. I searched the mailing lists to find a previous report of this very minor bug; the closest I found was some discussion in 2001 of stripping semi-colons from the end of such strings but the discussion seemed to stop with no resolution. http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-patches/2001-09/msg00285.php Fri, 28 Sep 2001 15:56:07 -0400 (EDT) Thanks, Giles Morant.
We can't just throw away semicolons, e.g.:
\test=> \f ;
Field separator is ";".
The current behavior seems pretty good. It doesn't seem worth
improving.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Giles Morant wrote:
>
> The following bug has been logged online:
>
> Bug reference: 2177
> Logged by: Giles Morant
> Email address: giles.pg@chaletpomme.com
> PostgreSQL version: 8.1.1
> Operating system: Linux (Gentoo)
> Description: (minor:) pgsql: Trailing semicolon on \d treated as
> argument
> Details:
>
> When describing tables/view/indexes using \d, a semi-colon is optional:
> e.g. \d users;
> or: \d users
> Both give the same (correct) results.
>
> However, if there is a space between "users" and the semi-colon, the
> semi-colon is then treated as an argument and this occurs:
> \d users ;
> <cut lots of table info>
> \d: extra argument ";" ignored
>
> The semi-colon should be ignored silently, in my view- "SELECT 1+2 ;" for
> example doesn't raise an alert.
>
> I searched the mailing lists to find a previous report of this very minor
> bug; the closest I found was some discussion in 2001 of stripping
> semi-colons from the end of such strings but the discussion seemed to stop
> with no resolution.
>
> http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-patches/2001-09/msg00285.php
> Fri, 28 Sep 2001 15:56:07 -0400 (EDT)
>
> Thanks,
> Giles Morant.
>
> ---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
> TIP 6: explain analyze is your friend
>
--
Bruce Momjian | http://candle.pha.pa.us
pgman@candle.pha.pa.us | (610) 359-1001
+ If your life is a hard drive, | 13 Roberts Road
+ Christ can be your backup. | Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073
I agree we cannot just throw the semi-colon away, but the action of "\d" to assume the semi-colon is an argument and thus invalid is in my view wrong. On 1/19/06, Bruce Momjian <pgman@candle.pha.pa.us> wrote: > > We can't just throw away semicolons, e.g.: > > \test=3D> \f ; > Field separator is ";". > > The current behavior seems pretty good. It doesn't seem worth > improving. > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------= -- > > Giles Morant wrote: > > > > The following bug has been logged online: > > > > Bug reference: 2177 > > Logged by: Giles Morant > > Email address: giles.pg@chaletpomme.com > > PostgreSQL version: 8.1.1 > > Operating system: Linux (Gentoo) > > Description: (minor:) pgsql: Trailing semicolon on \d treated as > > argument > > Details: > > > > When describing tables/view/indexes using \d, a semi-colon is optional: > > e.g. \d users; > > or: \d users > > Both give the same (correct) results. > > > > However, if there is a space between "users" and the semi-colon, the > > semi-colon is then treated as an argument and this occurs: > > \d users ; > > <cut lots of table info> > > \d: extra argument ";" ignored > > > > The semi-colon should be ignored silently, in my view- "SELECT 1+2 ;" f= or > > example doesn't raise an alert. > > > > I searched the mailing lists to find a previous report of this very min= or > > bug; the closest I found was some discussion in 2001 of stripping > > semi-colons from the end of such strings but the discussion seemed to s= top > > with no resolution. > > > > http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-patches/2001-09/msg00285.php > > Fri, 28 Sep 2001 15:56:07 -0400 (EDT) > > > > Thanks, > > Giles Morant. > > > > ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- > > TIP 6: explain analyze is your friend > > > > -- > Bruce Momjian | http://candle.pha.pa.us > pgman@candle.pha.pa.us | (610) 359-1001 > + If your life is a hard drive, | 13 Roberts Road > + Christ can be your backup. | Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19= 073 >
Giles Morant wrote: > I agree we cannot just throw the semi-colon away, but the action of > "\d" to assume the semi-colon is an argument and thus invalid is in my > view wrong. I didn't say what we are doing is right, I said fixing it would not be worth it. If you want, submit a patch and we can decide. Remember, \d can throw it away, but other backslash commands can not. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > On 1/19/06, Bruce Momjian <pgman@candle.pha.pa.us> wrote: > > > > We can't just throw away semicolons, e.g.: > > > > \test=> \f ; > > Field separator is ";". > > > > The current behavior seems pretty good. It doesn't seem worth > > improving. > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > Giles Morant wrote: > > > > > > The following bug has been logged online: > > > > > > Bug reference: 2177 > > > Logged by: Giles Morant > > > Email address: giles.pg@chaletpomme.com > > > PostgreSQL version: 8.1.1 > > > Operating system: Linux (Gentoo) > > > Description: (minor:) pgsql: Trailing semicolon on \d treated as > > > argument > > > Details: > > > > > > When describing tables/view/indexes using \d, a semi-colon is optional: > > > e.g. \d users; > > > or: \d users > > > Both give the same (correct) results. > > > > > > However, if there is a space between "users" and the semi-colon, the > > > semi-colon is then treated as an argument and this occurs: > > > \d users ; > > > <cut lots of table info> > > > \d: extra argument ";" ignored > > > > > > The semi-colon should be ignored silently, in my view- "SELECT 1+2 ;" for > > > example doesn't raise an alert. > > > > > > I searched the mailing lists to find a previous report of this very minor > > > bug; the closest I found was some discussion in 2001 of stripping > > > semi-colons from the end of such strings but the discussion seemed to stop > > > with no resolution. > > > > > > http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-patches/2001-09/msg00285.php > > > Fri, 28 Sep 2001 15:56:07 -0400 (EDT) > > > > > > Thanks, > > > Giles Morant. > > > > > > ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- > > > TIP 6: explain analyze is your friend > > > > > > > -- > > Bruce Momjian | http://candle.pha.pa.us > > pgman@candle.pha.pa.us | (610) 359-1001 > > + If your life is a hard drive, | 13 Roberts Road > > + Christ can be your backup. | Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073 > > > > ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- > TIP 4: Have you searched our list archives? > > http://archives.postgresql.org > -- Bruce Momjian | http://candle.pha.pa.us pgman@candle.pha.pa.us | (610) 359-1001 + If your life is a hard drive, | 13 Roberts Road + Christ can be your backup. | Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073