EXCEPT TABLE - Case inconsistency for describe \d and \dRp+

On Fri, Apr 10, 2026 at 12:43 PM Peter Smith <smithpb2250@gmail.com> wrote:

Notice that that the describe publication says:
"Tables:" and "Except tables:" (Lowercase "tables")

Notice that the describe table says:
"Publications:" and "Except Publications:" (Uppercase "Publications")

I think they should use a consistent case:
eg1. (both lowercase) Except tables; Except publications, OR
eg2. (bother uppercase) Except Tables; Except Publications

We should follow eg1. I checked few examples where we follow same
pattern as eg1:

Example-1: (See: "Tables from schemas")
postgres=# \dRp+ pub1
Publication pub1
Owner | All tables | All sequences | Inserts | Updates | Deletes |
Truncates | Generated columns | Via root | Description
-------+------------+---------------+---------+---------+---------+-----------+-------------------+----------+-------------
amit | f | f | t | t | t | t
| none | f |
Tables from schemas:
"sch1"

Example-2: ((See: "No connections")
postgres=# create user u1 CONNECTION LIMIT 0;
CREATE ROLE
postgres=# \du u1
List of roles
Role name | Attributes
-----------+----------------
u1 | No connections

--
With Regards,
Amit Kapila.

On Fri, Apr 10, 2026 at 8:19 PM Amit Kapila <amit.kapila16@gmail.com> wrote:

On Fri, Apr 10, 2026 at 12:43 PM Peter Smith <smithpb2250@gmail.com> wrote:

Notice that that the describe publication says:
"Tables:" and "Except tables:" (Lowercase "tables")

Notice that the describe table says:
"Publications:" and "Except Publications:" (Uppercase "Publications")

I think they should use a consistent case:
eg1. (both lowercase) Except tables; Except publications, OR
eg2. (bother uppercase) Except Tables; Except Publications

We should follow eg1. I checked few examples where we follow same
pattern as eg1:

Example-1: (See: "Tables from schemas")
postgres=# \dRp+ pub1
Publication pub1
Owner | All tables | All sequences | Inserts | Updates | Deletes |
Truncates | Generated columns | Via root | Description
-------+------------+---------------+---------+---------+---------+-----------+-------------------+----------+-------------
amit | f | f | t | t | t | t
| none | f |
Tables from schemas:
"sch1"

Example-2: ((See: "No connections")
postgres=# create user u1 CONNECTION LIMIT 0;
CREATE ROLE
postgres=# \du u1
List of roles
Role name | Attributes
-----------+----------------
u1 | No connections

Hi Amit.

Thanks for the advice.

PSA patch v1 to change "Except Publications" to "Except publications".

======
Kind Regards,
Peter Smith.
Fujitsu Australia

On Mon, 13 Apr 2026 at 07:45, Peter Smith <smithpb2250@gmail.com> wrote:

On Fri, Apr 10, 2026 at 8:19 PM Amit Kapila <amit.kapila16@gmail.com> wrote:

On Fri, Apr 10, 2026 at 12:43 PM Peter Smith <smithpb2250@gmail.com> wrote:

Notice that that the describe publication says:
"Tables:" and "Except tables:" (Lowercase "tables")

Notice that the describe table says:
"Publications:" and "Except Publications:" (Uppercase "Publications")

I think they should use a consistent case:
eg1. (both lowercase) Except tables; Except publications, OR
eg2. (bother uppercase) Except Tables; Except Publications

We should follow eg1. I checked few examples where we follow same
pattern as eg1:

Example-1: (See: "Tables from schemas")
postgres=# \dRp+ pub1
Publication pub1
Owner | All tables | All sequences | Inserts | Updates | Deletes |
Truncates | Generated columns | Via root | Description
-------+------------+---------------+---------+---------+---------+-----------+-------------------+----------+-------------
amit | f | f | t | t | t | t
| none | f |
Tables from schemas:
"sch1"

Example-2: ((See: "No connections")
postgres=# create user u1 CONNECTION LIMIT 0;
CREATE ROLE
postgres=# \du u1
List of roles
Role name | Attributes
-----------+----------------
u1 | No connections

Hi Amit.

Thanks for the advice.

PSA patch v1 to change "Except Publications" to "Except publications".

The commit message could be improved:
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:12:00 +1000
Subject: [PATCH v1] describe table except publications

---
src/bin/psql/describe.c | 2 +-

Other than that, the patch looks good to me.

Regards,
Vignesh.

On Mon, Apr 13, 2026 at 1:21 PM vignesh C <vignesh21@gmail.com> wrote:

...

The commit message could be improved:
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:12:00 +1000
Subject: [PATCH v1] describe table except publications

---
src/bin/psql/describe.c | 2 +-

Other than that, the patch looks good to me.

Hi Vignesh.

Thanks for the review.

PSA patch v2. It is the same as v1, but with an improved commit message,

======
Kind Regards,
Peter Smith.
Fujitsu Australia

On Mon, Apr 13, 2026 at 3:23 PM Peter Smith <smithpb2250@gmail.com> wrote:

On Mon, Apr 13, 2026 at 1:21 PM vignesh C <vignesh21@gmail.com> wrote:

...

The commit message could be improved:
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:12:00 +1000
Subject: [PATCH v1] describe table except publications

---
src/bin/psql/describe.c | 2 +-

Other than that, the patch looks good to me.

Hi Vignesh.

Thanks for the review.

PSA patch v2. It is the same as v1, but with an improved commit message,

Hi Amit. Thanks for pushing.

======
Kind Regards
Peter Smith.
Fujitsu Australia

On 2026-Apr-10, Peter Smith wrote:

# -- describe the tables
# \d t1
Table "public.t1"
Column | Type | Collation | Nullable | Default
--------+---------+-----------+----------+---------
a | integer | | |
Except Publications:
"pub1"

I have a hard time understanding what an "except publication" is. I
think this would be clearer if the header said "Excluded from publications:"

A footer section under a publication saying "Except tables" on the other
hand is crystal clear.

--
Álvaro Herrera Breisgau, Deutschland — https://www.EnterpriseDB.com/

On Fri, Apr 17, 2026 at 12:10 AM Álvaro Herrera <alvherre@kurilemu.de> wrote:

On 2026-Apr-10, Peter Smith wrote:

# -- describe the tables
# \d t1
Table "public.t1"
Column | Type | Collation | Nullable | Default
--------+---------+-----------+----------+---------
a | integer | | |
Except Publications:
"pub1"

I have a hard time understanding what an "except publication" is. I
think this would be clearer if the header said "Excluded from publications:"

I agree that your suggestion is clearer.

If we make that change, then should the "Publications:" footer also be
modified similarly (to "Included in publications:") so they match?

e.g.

CURRENTLY

test_pub=# \d t1
Table "public.t1"
Column | Type | Collation | Nullable | Default
--------+---------+-----------+----------+---------
a | integer | | |
Publications:
"pub1"
"pub2"
Except publications:
"pub3"

~~~

SUGGESTION

test_pub=# \d t1
Table "public.t1"
Column | Type | Collation | Nullable | Default
--------+---------+-----------+----------+---------
a | integer | | |
Included in publications:
"pub1"
"pub2"
Excluded from publications:
"pub3"

~~~

I will wait for more opinions/consensus before providing a patch.

======
Kind Regards,
Peter Smith.
Fujitsu Australia

On Fri, Apr 17, 2026 at 4:34 AM Peter Smith <smithpb2250@gmail.com> wrote:

On Fri, Apr 17, 2026 at 12:10 AM Álvaro Herrera <alvherre@kurilemu.de> wrote:

On 2026-Apr-10, Peter Smith wrote:

# -- describe the tables
# \d t1
Table "public.t1"
Column | Type | Collation | Nullable | Default
--------+---------+-----------+----------+---------
a | integer | | |
Except Publications:
"pub1"

I have a hard time understanding what an "except publication" is. I
think this would be clearer if the header said "Excluded from publications:"

I agree that your suggestion is clearer.

If we make that change, then should the "Publications:" footer also be
modified similarly (to "Included in publications:") so they match?

e.g.

CURRENTLY

test_pub=# \d t1
Table "public.t1"
Column | Type | Collation | Nullable | Default
--------+---------+-----------+----------+---------
a | integer | | |
Publications:
"pub1"
"pub2"
Except publications:
"pub3"

~~~

SUGGESTION

test_pub=# \d t1
Table "public.t1"
Column | Type | Collation | Nullable | Default
--------+---------+-----------+----------+---------
a | integer | | |
Included in publications:
"pub1"
"pub2"
Excluded from publications:
"pub3"

~~~

+1 for the proposal. It makes the description clear.

--
With Regards,
Amit Kapila.

On Fri, Apr 17, 2026 at 3:24 PM Amit Kapila <amit.kapila16@gmail.com> wrote:

On Fri, Apr 17, 2026 at 4:34 AM Peter Smith <smithpb2250@gmail.com> wrote:

On Fri, Apr 17, 2026 at 12:10 AM Álvaro Herrera <alvherre@kurilemu.de> wrote:

On 2026-Apr-10, Peter Smith wrote:

# -- describe the tables
# \d t1
Table "public.t1"
Column | Type | Collation | Nullable | Default
--------+---------+-----------+----------+---------
a | integer | | |
Except Publications:
"pub1"

I have a hard time understanding what an "except publication" is. I
think this would be clearer if the header said "Excluded from publications:"

I agree that your suggestion is clearer.

If we make that change, then should the "Publications:" footer also be
modified similarly (to "Included in publications:") so they match?

e.g.

CURRENTLY

test_pub=# \d t1
Table "public.t1"
Column | Type | Collation | Nullable | Default
--------+---------+-----------+----------+---------
a | integer | | |
Publications:
"pub1"
"pub2"
Except publications:
"pub3"

~~~

SUGGESTION

test_pub=# \d t1
Table "public.t1"
Column | Type | Collation | Nullable | Default
--------+---------+-----------+----------+---------
a | integer | | |
Included in publications:
"pub1"
"pub2"
Excluded from publications:
"pub3"

~~~

+1 for the proposal. It makes the description clear.

OK. Thanks.

Next question: am I only changing this for the table describe (\d)?

I am asking because I noticed the schema describe (\dn) also has a
footer called "Publications:".

----------
test_pub=# CREATE PUBLICATION pub7 FOR TABLES IN SCHEMA my_schema;
CREATE PUBLICATION
test_pub=# \dn+ my_schema
List of schemas
Name | Owner | Access privileges | Description
-----------+----------+-------------------+-------------
my_schema | postgres | |
Publications:
"pub7"
----------

Would you like this schema footer also changed to say "Included in
publications:"?

======
Kind Regards,
Peter Smith.
Fujitsu Australia