Thread: expression_tree_walker() and primitive node types

expression_tree_walker() and primitive node types

From
Neil Conway
Date:
I wouldn't call this behavior buggy, but I found it somewhat surprising.

expression_tree_walker() assumes that the walker has already been
invoked on the current node (the node that a given recursive call of
expression_tree_walker() has been invoked on). Therefore, calling
expression_tree_walker() on a primitive node type, such as a Var, is a
no-op.

Re: expression_tree_walker() and primitive node types

From
Tom Lane
Date:
Neil Conway <neilc@samurai.com> writes:
> I wouldn't call this behavior buggy, but I found it somewhat surprising.
> expression_tree_walker() assumes that the walker has already been
> invoked on the current node (the node that a given recursive call of
> expression_tree_walker() has been invoked on). Therefore, calling
> expression_tree_walker() on a primitive node type, such as a Var, is a
> no-op.

The documented usage method is to call the walker itself at the top
level of recursion.  The walker calls expression_tree_walker (after
doing its thing on the node); other code should not call
expression_tree_walker directly.

            regards, tom lane