Thread: BUG #17775: Clarify default value for HEADER argument in documentation

The following bug has been logged on the website:

Bug reference:      17775
Logged by:          Felix Sperling
Email address:      fsperling@salesforce.com
PostgreSQL version: 15.1
Operating system:   any
Description:

Hello,

I would like to ask for clarification in the documentation regarding the
COPY command and what the default value is for the HEADER argument.
I'm assuming the default is false as nothing else is mentioned but it would
be nice to have that more explicit in the docs.

https://www.postgresql.org/docs/15/sql-copy.html

Thanks,
Felix

On Mon, Feb  6, 2023 at 10:54:08AM +0000, PG Bug reporting form wrote:
> The following bug has been logged on the website:
> 
> Bug reference:      17775
> Logged by:          Felix Sperling
> Email address:      fsperling@salesforce.com
> PostgreSQL version: 15.1
> Operating system:   any
> Description:        
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I would like to ask for clarification in the documentation regarding the
> COPY command and what the default value is for the HEADER argument.
> I'm assuming the default is false as nothing else is mentioned but it would
> be nice to have that more explicit in the docs.
> 
> https://www.postgresql.org/docs/15/sql-copy.html

Well the docs say:

    HEADER
    
        Specifies that the file contains a header line with the names of
    each column in the file. On output, the first line contains the column
    names from the table. On input, the first line is discarded when this
    option is set to true (or equivalent Boolean value). If this option is
    set to MATCH, the number and names of the columns in the header line
    must match the actual column names of the table, in order; otherwise an
    error is raised. This option is not allowed when using binary format.
    The MATCH option is only valid for COPY FROM commands.

If you don't specify it, then you don't get the header line.  This is
true for other COPY settings like FREEZE.

-- 
  Bruce Momjian  <bruce@momjian.us>        https://momjian.us
  EDB                                      https://enterprisedb.com

  Embrace your flaws.  They make you human, rather than perfect,
  which you will never be.