Thread: Q: documentation bug ?

Hello all,

the online documentation for REINDEX

    http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.5/static/sql-reindex.html

talks about VERBOSE

    Synopsis

    REINDEX [ ( { VERBOSE } [, ...] ) ] { INDEX | TABLE | SCHEMA | DATABASE | SYSTEM } name

    [...]

    VERBOSE

        Prints a progress report as each index is reindexed.

but

    root@hermes:~/bin# psql -d gnumed_v21 -U gm-dbo
    Ausgabeformat ist „wrapped“.
    Erweiterte Anzeige ist an.
    psql (9.5.0)
    Geben Sie „help“ für Hilfe ein.

    gnumed_v21=> select version();
    -[ RECORD 1 ]-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    version | PostgreSQL 9.5.0 on i686-pc-linux-gnu, compiled by gcc (Debian 5.3.1-5) 5.3.1 20160101, 32-bit

    gnumed_v21=> reindex<TAB>
    DATABASE  INDEX     SCHEMA    SYSTEM    TABLE

    gnumed_v21=> reindex verbose database 'gnumed_v21';
    ERROR:  syntax error at or near "verbose"
    ZEILE 1: reindex verbose database 'gnumed_v21';
                     ^
    gnumed_v21=>

Does this constitute a bug in the documentation or in the Debian version of PG ?

Thanks,
Karsten
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Bounced to -general, sorry for the noise.

Karsten
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On 02/04/2016 11:53 AM, Karsten Hilbert wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
> the online documentation for REINDEX
> 
>     http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.5/static/sql-reindex.html
> 
> talks about VERBOSE
> 
>     Synopsis
> 
>     REINDEX [ ( { VERBOSE } [, ...] ) ] { INDEX | TABLE | SCHEMA | DATABASE | SYSTEM } name
> 
>     [...]
> 
>     VERBOSE
> 
>         Prints a progress report as each index is reindexed.
> 
> but
> 
>     gnumed_v21=> reindex verbose database 'gnumed_v21';
>     ERROR:  syntax error at or near "verbose"
>     ZEILE 1: reindex verbose database 'gnumed_v21';
> 
> Does this constitute a bug in the documentation or in the Debian version of PG ?

Neither.  It's a little bit obscure because {} and [] mean special
things, but () doesn't.  The syntax is therefore:
   REINDEX (VERBOSE) DATABASE gnumed_v21;
-- 
Vik Fearing                                          +33 6 46 75 15 36
http://2ndQuadrant.fr     PostgreSQL : Expertise, Formation et Support

On Thu, Feb 04, 2016 at 12:00:45PM +0100, Vik Fearing wrote:

>>     REINDEX [ ( { VERBOSE } [, ...] ) ] { INDEX | TABLE | SCHEMA | DATABASE | SYSTEM } name
...
>> Does this constitute a bug in the documentation or in the Debian version of PG ?
>
> Neither.  It's a little bit obscure because {} and [] mean special
> things, but () doesn't.

Eagle-eyed !

>  The syntax is therefore:
>
>     REINDEX (VERBOSE) DATABASE gnumed_v21;

Thank you !  :-)

Karsten
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Karsten Hilbert <Karsten.Hilbert@gmx.net> writes:
> On Thu, Feb 04, 2016 at 12:00:45PM +0100, Vik Fearing wrote:
>>> REINDEX [ ( { VERBOSE } [, ...] ) ] { INDEX | TABLE | SCHEMA | DATABASE | SYSTEM } name

>>> Does this constitute a bug in the documentation or in the Debian version of PG ?

>> Neither.  It's a little bit obscure because {} and [] mean special
>> things, but () doesn't.

> Eagle-eyed !

Seems to me the syntax BNF here is bringing the problem on itself by using
{ ... } when in fact only one alternative is available.  I don't find
{ FOO | BAR } especially hard to read, but { FOO } is confusing because
you expect the {}'s to mean something and they really do not.

I'd be inclined to reduce this to

REINDEX [ ( VERBOSE ) ] { INDEX | TABLE | SCHEMA | DATABASE | SYSTEM } name

We can put back the extra decoration when and if a second option arrives.

            regards, tom lane