proposal: new long psql parameter --on-error-stop

Pavel Stehule <pavel.stehule@gmail.com> writes:

for beginners is relative difficult to set psql variable from command line
and option
-v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 is little bit unclean.
and for any user it is not comfortable. So I propose a new psql option
--on-error-stop

That saves a whole three characters ... not sure it's really worth it,
especially since it will not work on older versions.

Also, it's not like this will save people from having to know about the
ON_ERROR_STOP variable, because there will still be plenty of contexts
where they need to know that (eg, inspecting the setting or changing it
mid-session). So I don't buy the argument that this simplifies what
beginners need to learn.

regards, tom lane

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2014-02-28 19:13 GMT+01:00 Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>:

Pavel Stehule <pavel.stehule@gmail.com> writes:

for beginners is relative difficult to set psql variable from command

line

and option
-v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 is little bit unclean.
and for any user it is not comfortable. So I propose a new psql option
--on-error-stop

That saves a whole three characters ... not sure it's really worth it,
especially since it will not work on older versions.

Also, it's not like this will save people from having to know about the
ON_ERROR_STOP variable, because there will still be plenty of contexts
where they need to know that (eg, inspecting the setting or changing it
mid-session). So I don't buy the argument that this simplifies what
beginners need to learn.

three chars is not important

important is a placing in --help output

Regards

Pavel

On Fri, Feb 28, 2014 at 3:17 PM, Pavel Stehule <pavel.stehule@gmail.com>
wrote:

2014-02-28 19:13 GMT+01:00 Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>:

Pavel Stehule <pavel.stehule@gmail.com> writes:

for beginners is relative difficult to set psql variable from command

line

and option
-v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 is little bit unclean.
and for any user it is not comfortable. So I propose a new psql option
--on-error-stop

That saves a whole three characters ... not sure it's really worth it,
especially since it will not work on older versions.

Also, it's not like this will save people from having to know about the
ON_ERROR_STOP variable, because there will still be plenty of contexts
where they need to know that (eg, inspecting the setting or changing it
mid-session). So I don't buy the argument that this simplifies what
beginners need to learn.

three chars is not important

important is a placing in --help output

Well, then we just have to add more info to --help

Regards,

--
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Consultoria/Coaching PostgreSQL

2014-02-28 19:25 GMT+01:00 Fabrízio de Royes Mello <fabriziomello@gmail.com>
:

On Fri, Feb 28, 2014 at 3:17 PM, Pavel Stehule <pavel.stehule@gmail.com>
wrote:

2014-02-28 19:13 GMT+01:00 Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>:

Pavel Stehule <pavel.stehule@gmail.com> writes:

for beginners is relative difficult to set psql variable from command

line

and option
-v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 is little bit unclean.
and for any user it is not comfortable. So I propose a new psql option
--on-error-stop

That saves a whole three characters ... not sure it's really worth it,
especially since it will not work on older versions.

Also, it's not like this will save people from having to know about the
ON_ERROR_STOP variable, because there will still be plenty of contexts
where they need to know that (eg, inspecting the setting or changing it
mid-session). So I don't buy the argument that this simplifies what
beginners need to learn.

three chars is not important

important is a placing in --help output

Well, then we just have to add more info to --help

it can be solution

Pavel

Fabr�zio de Royes Mello escribi�:

On Fri, Feb 28, 2014 at 3:17 PM, Pavel Stehule <pavel.stehule@gmail.com>
wrote:

important is a placing in --help output

Well, then we just have to add more info to --help

I think psql could do with some lines for the possible options for
--pset (14) and --variable (13). Not sure how to do that without having
it become too cumbersome while not hiding useful variables.

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PostgreSQL Development, 24x7 Support, Training & Services

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On Fri, Feb 28, 2014 at 3:44 PM, Alvaro Herrera <alvherre@2ndquadrant.com>
wrote:

Fabrízio de Royes Mello escribió:

On Fri, Feb 28, 2014 at 3:17 PM, Pavel Stehule <pavel.stehule@gmail.com>
wrote:

important is a placing in --help output

Well, then we just have to add more info to --help

I think psql could do with some lines for the possible options for
--pset (14) and --variable (13). Not sure how to do that without having
it become too cumbersome while not hiding useful variables.

Maybe by adding something like "--help-pset" and "--help-variables".

Regards,

--
Fabrízio de Royes Mello
Consultoria/Coaching PostgreSQL

2014-02-28 19:55 GMT+01:00 Fabrízio de Royes Mello <fabriziomello@gmail.com>
:

On Fri, Feb 28, 2014 at 3:44 PM, Alvaro Herrera <alvherre@2ndquadrant.com>
wrote:

Fabrízio de Royes Mello escribió:

On Fri, Feb 28, 2014 at 3:17 PM, Pavel Stehule <

pavel.stehule@gmail.com>

wrote:

important is a placing in --help output

Well, then we just have to add more info to --help

I think psql could do with some lines for the possible options for
--pset (14) and --variable (13). Not sure how to do that without having
it become too cumbersome while not hiding useful variables.

Maybe by adding something like "--help-pset" and "--help-variables".

I dislike it - I afraid so I know too much users, where --help-pset or
--help-variables is too high expert level. --help is a maximum, what they
can do - and you should not use a strange terminology like "variables".

Regards

Pavel

On 02/28/2014 01:27 PM, Pavel Stehule wrote:

three chars is not important

important is a placing in --help output

Well, then we just have to add more info to --help

it can be solution

+1 for at least doing that. I found it annoying just the other day not
to find it in plsql's --help output, in a moment of brain fade when I
forgot how to spell it. So it's not just beginners who can benefit, it's
people like me whose memory occasionally goes awry.

cheers

andrew

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Andrew Dunstan <andrew@dunslane.net> writes:

Well, then we just have to add more info to --help

+1 for at least doing that. I found it annoying just the other day not
to find it in plsql's --help output, in a moment of brain fade when I
forgot how to spell it. So it's not just beginners who can benefit, it's
people like me whose memory occasionally goes awry.

No objection in principle, but what are we talking about exactly?
Adding some new backslash command that lists all the variables that have
special meanings? I'm not sure that the main --help output is the place
for this, because that only covers psql's command line switches (and
is plenty long enough already).

regards, tom lane

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2014-02-28 22:38 GMT+01:00 Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>:

Andrew Dunstan <andrew@dunslane.net> writes:

Well, then we just have to add more info to --help

+1 for at least doing that. I found it annoying just the other day not
to find it in plsql's --help output, in a moment of brain fade when I
forgot how to spell it. So it's not just beginners who can benefit, it's
people like me whose memory occasionally goes awry.

No objection in principle, but what are we talking about exactly?
Adding some new backslash command that lists all the variables that have
special meanings? I'm not sure that the main --help output is the place
for this, because that only covers psql's command line switches (and
is plenty long enough already).

Hard to say -

a special long option in "General option" can be clean.

or new section "Tips"

Tips:
-v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 stops on first error

On Fri, February 28, 2014 22:38, Tom Lane wrote:

Andrew Dunstan <andrew@dunslane.net> writes:

Well, then we just have to add more info to --help

+1 for at least doing that. I found it annoying just the other day not
to find it in plsql's --help output, in a moment of brain fade when I
forgot how to spell it. So it's not just beginners who can benefit, it's
people like me whose memory occasionally goes awry.

No objection in principle, but what are we talking about exactly?
Adding some new backslash command that lists all the variables that have
special meanings? I'm not sure that the main --help output is the place
for this, because that only covers psql's command line switches (and
is plenty long enough already).

regards, tom lane

Perhaps this compromise:

-v, --set=, --variable=NAME=VALUE
set psql variable NAME to VALUE e.g.: -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1

this would not lengthen and not broaden the output of psql --help

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2014-02-28 22:52 GMT+01:00 Erik Rijkers <er@xs4all.nl>:

On Fri, February 28, 2014 22:38, Tom Lane wrote:

Andrew Dunstan <andrew@dunslane.net> writes:

Well, then we just have to add more info to --help

+1 for at least doing that. I found it annoying just the other day not
to find it in plsql's --help output, in a moment of brain fade when I
forgot how to spell it. So it's not just beginners who can benefit, it's
people like me whose memory occasionally goes awry.

No objection in principle, but what are we talking about exactly?
Adding some new backslash command that lists all the variables that have
special meanings? I'm not sure that the main --help output is the place
for this, because that only covers psql's command line switches (and
is plenty long enough already).

regards, tom lane

Perhaps this compromise:

-v, --set=, --variable=NAME=VALUE
set psql variable NAME to VALUE e.g.: -v
ON_ERROR_STOP=1

can be

On 02/28/2014 04:38 PM, Tom Lane wrote:

Andrew Dunstan <andrew@dunslane.net> writes:

Well, then we just have to add more info to --help

+1 for at least doing that. I found it annoying just the other day not
to find it in plsql's --help output, in a moment of brain fade when I
forgot how to spell it. So it's not just beginners who can benefit, it's
people like me whose memory occasionally goes awry.

No objection in principle, but what are we talking about exactly?
Adding some new backslash command that lists all the variables that have
special meanings?

That's a pretty good idea, especially if we give that command a command
line option too, so something like

psql --special-variables

would run that command and exit.

Maybe I'm over-egging the pudding a bit ;-)

cheers

andrew

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2014-02-28 23:01 GMT+01:00 Andrew Dunstan <andrew@dunslane.net>:

On 02/28/2014 04:38 PM, Tom Lane wrote:

Andrew Dunstan <andrew@dunslane.net> writes:

Well, then we just have to add more info to --help

+1 for at least doing that. I found it annoying just the other day not
to find it in plsql's --help output, in a moment of brain fade when I
forgot how to spell it. So it's not just beginners who can benefit, it's
people like me whose memory occasionally goes awry.

No objection in principle, but what are we talking about exactly?
Adding some new backslash command that lists all the variables that have
special meanings?

That's a pretty good idea, especially if we give that command a command
line option too, so something like

psql --special-variables

would run that command and exit.

it can be second one option.

Pavel

2014-02-28 22:52 GMT+01:00 Erik Rijkers <er@xs4all.nl>:

e.g.: -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1

I checked it and it is not the most long line there, so it can be a good
solution.

Pavel

Hello

here is a prototype:

bash-4.1$ /usr/local/pgsql/bin/psql --help-variables
List of some variables (options) for use from command line.
Complete list you find in psql section in the PostgreSQL documentation.

psql variables:
Usage:
psql --set=NAME=VALUE
or \set NAME VALUE in interactive mode

AUTOCOMMIT when is on, successful SQL command is automatically
commited
COMP_KEYWORD_CASE determines which letter case to use when completing an
SQL key word
ECHO all lines from input can be written to standard output
ECHO_HIDDEN display queries for internal commands (same as -E
option)
FETCH_COUNT how many rows should be for one page (default 0
unlimited)
HISTFILE file name that be used for store history list
HISTSIZE the number of commands to store in the command history
ON_ERROR_ROLLBACK when is on, raise ROLLBACK on error automatically
ON_ERROR_STOP when is set, then batch execution stop immediately
after error
VERBOSITY control verbosity of error reports [default, verbose,
terse]

Printing options:
Usage:
psql --pset=NAME[=VALUE]
or \pset NAME [VALUE] in interactive mode

border number of border style
fieldsep specify field separator for unaligned output
fieldsep_zero field separator in unaligned mode will be zero
format set output format [unaligned, aligned, wrapped, html,
latex, ..]
linestyle sets the border line drawing style [ascii, old-ascii,
unicode]
null sets the string to be printed in place of a null value
pager when the pager option is off, the pager program is not
used
recordsep specifies the record (line) separator to use in
unaligned output format
recordsep_zero record separator be in unaligned output format a zero
byte
title sets the table title for any subsequently printed
tables
tuples_only in tuples-only mode, only actual table data is shown

Environment options:
Usage:
NAME=VALUE, [NAME=VALUE] psql ...
or \setenv NAME [VALUE] in interactive mode

COLUMNS number of columns for wrapped format
PAGER used pager
PGHOST same as the host connection parameter
PGDATABASE same as the dbname connection parameter
PGUSER same as the user connection parameter
PGPASSWORD possibility to set password
PSQL_EDITOR, EDITOR, VISUAL editor used by \e \ef commands
PSQL_EDITOR_LINE_NUMBER_ARG style how to line number is used in editor
PSQL_HISTORY alternative location for the command history file
PSQL_RC alternative location of the user's .psqlrc file
SHELL command executed by the \! command
TMPDIR directory for storing temporary files

For more information consult the psql section in the PostgreSQL
documentation.

Regards

Pavel

2014-02-28 23:01 GMT+01:00 Andrew Dunstan <andrew@dunslane.net>:

On Sat, Mar 1, 2014 at 5:37 AM, Pavel Stehule <pavel.stehule@gmail.com>
wrote:

Hello

here is a prototype:

bash-4.1$ /usr/local/pgsql/bin/psql --help-variables
List of some variables (options) for use from command line.
Complete list you find in psql section in the PostgreSQL documentation.

psql variables:
Usage:
psql --set=NAME=VALUE
or \set NAME VALUE in interactive mode

AUTOCOMMIT when is on, successful SQL command is automatically

commited

COMP_KEYWORD_CASE determines which letter case to use when completing

an SQL key word

ECHO all lines from input can be written to standard

output

ECHO_HIDDEN display queries for internal commands (same as -E

option)

FETCH_COUNT how many rows should be for one page (default 0

unlimited)

HISTFILE file name that be used for store history list
HISTSIZE the number of commands to store in the command

history

ON_ERROR_ROLLBACK when is on, raise ROLLBACK on error automatically
ON_ERROR_STOP when is set, then batch execution stop immediately

after error

VERBOSITY control verbosity of error reports [default,

verbose, terse]

Printing options:
Usage:
psql --pset=NAME[=VALUE]
or \pset NAME [VALUE] in interactive mode

border number of border style
fieldsep specify field separator for unaligned output
fieldsep_zero field separator in unaligned mode will be zero
format set output format [unaligned, aligned, wrapped,

html, latex, ..]

linestyle sets the border line drawing style [ascii,

old-ascii, unicode]

null sets the string to be printed in place of a null

value

pager when the pager option is off, the pager program is

not used

recordsep specifies the record (line) separator to use in

unaligned output format

recordsep_zero record separator be in unaligned output format a

zero byte

title sets the table title for any subsequently printed

tables

tuples_only in tuples-only mode, only actual table data is shown

Environment options:
Usage:
NAME=VALUE, [NAME=VALUE] psql ...
or \setenv NAME [VALUE] in interactive mode

COLUMNS number of columns for wrapped format
PAGER used pager
PGHOST same as the host connection parameter
PGDATABASE same as the dbname connection parameter
PGUSER same as the user connection parameter
PGPASSWORD possibility to set password
PSQL_EDITOR, EDITOR, VISUAL editor used by \e \ef commands
PSQL_EDITOR_LINE_NUMBER_ARG style how to line number is used in editor
PSQL_HISTORY alternative location for the command history file
PSQL_RC alternative location of the user's .psqlrc file
SHELL command executed by the \! command
TMPDIR directory for storing temporary files

For more information consult the psql section in the PostgreSQL
documentation.

The patch is ok (apply to master and apply to master without errors).

Maybe we must show the possible values for each variable/option too.

Thinking more about it, would be nice if we have the possibility to show
help for commands too. Some like that:

$ psql -H vacuum
Command: VACUUM
Description: garbage-collect and optionally analyze a database
Syntax:
VACUUM [ ( { FULL | FREEZE | VERBOSE | ANALYZE } [, ...] ) ] [ table_name [
(column_name [, ...] ) ] ]
VACUUM [ FULL ] [ FREEZE ] [ VERBOSE ] [ table_name ]
VACUUM [ FULL ] [ FREEZE ] [ VERBOSE ] ANALYZE [ table_name [ (column_name
[, ...] ) ] ]

$ psql --help-command=vacuum
Command: VACUUM
Description: garbage-collect and optionally analyze a database
Syntax:
VACUUM [ ( { FULL | FREEZE | VERBOSE | ANALYZE } [, ...] ) ] [ table_name [
(column_name [, ...] ) ] ]
VACUUM [ FULL ] [ FREEZE ] [ VERBOSE ] [ table_name ]
VACUUM [ FULL ] [ FREEZE ] [ VERBOSE ] ANALYZE [ table_name [ (column_name
[, ...] ) ] ]

It's only an idea that occurred to me reading this thread!

Grettings,

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Consultoria/Coaching PostgreSQL

2014-03-01 23:53 GMT+01:00 Fabrízio de Royes Mello <fabriziomello@gmail.com>
:

On Sat, Mar 1, 2014 at 5:37 AM, Pavel Stehule <pavel.stehule@gmail.com>
wrote:

Hello

here is a prototype:

bash-4.1$ /usr/local/pgsql/bin/psql --help-variables
List of some variables (options) for use from command line.
Complete list you find in psql section in the PostgreSQL documentation.

psql variables:
Usage:
psql --set=NAME=VALUE
or \set NAME VALUE in interactive mode

AUTOCOMMIT when is on, successful SQL command is automatically

commited

COMP_KEYWORD_CASE determines which letter case to use when completing

an SQL key word

ECHO all lines from input can be written to standard

output

ECHO_HIDDEN display queries for internal commands (same as -E

option)

FETCH_COUNT how many rows should be for one page (default 0

unlimited)

HISTFILE file name that be used for store history list
HISTSIZE the number of commands to store in the command

history

ON_ERROR_ROLLBACK when is on, raise ROLLBACK on error automatically
ON_ERROR_STOP when is set, then batch execution stop immediately

after error

VERBOSITY control verbosity of error reports [default,

verbose, terse]

Printing options:
Usage:
psql --pset=NAME[=VALUE]
or \pset NAME [VALUE] in interactive mode

border number of border style
fieldsep specify field separator for unaligned output
fieldsep_zero field separator in unaligned mode will be zero
format set output format [unaligned, aligned, wrapped,

html, latex, ..]

linestyle sets the border line drawing style [ascii,

old-ascii, unicode]

null sets the string to be printed in place of a null

value

pager when the pager option is off, the pager program is

not used

recordsep specifies the record (line) separator to use in

unaligned output format

recordsep_zero record separator be in unaligned output format a

zero byte

title sets the table title for any subsequently printed

tables

tuples_only in tuples-only mode, only actual table data is shown

Environment options:
Usage:
NAME=VALUE, [NAME=VALUE] psql ...
or \setenv NAME [VALUE] in interactive mode

COLUMNS number of columns for wrapped format
PAGER used pager
PGHOST same as the host connection parameter
PGDATABASE same as the dbname connection parameter
PGUSER same as the user connection parameter
PGPASSWORD possibility to set password
PSQL_EDITOR, EDITOR, VISUAL editor used by \e \ef commands
PSQL_EDITOR_LINE_NUMBER_ARG style how to line number is used in editor
PSQL_HISTORY alternative location for the command history file
PSQL_RC alternative location of the user's .psqlrc file
SHELL command executed by the \! command
TMPDIR directory for storing temporary files

For more information consult the psql section in the PostgreSQL
documentation.

The patch is ok (apply to master and apply to master without errors).

Maybe we must show the possible values for each variable/option too.

Not all options are writeable - and too long option list should be less
readable - It should not to supply documentation

Thinking more about it, would be nice if we have the possibility to show
help for commands too. Some like that:

This can be implemented as alias probably, so it is not necessary - but I
agree, so it is interesting and valid idea

Regards

Pavel

eFrom: "Pavel Stehule" <pavel.stehule@gmail.com>

here is a prototype:

The patch applied and built with success. There are a few minor things:

(1)
help_variables() lacks description of some variables such as SINGLELINE and
SINGLESTEP. I think this help should list all available variables, because
users may want to know the existence of those missing variables. Based on
this, modify these lines: remove "some" from the first line and the entire
second line.

+ printf(_("List of some variables (options) for use from command 
line.\n"));
+ printf(_("Complete list you find in psql section in the PostgreSQL 
documentation.\n\n"));

(2)
The indent is different from other lines. Leave just two spaces at the
beginning of the line.

+ printf(_(" --help-variables list of available configuration
variables (options), then exit\n"));

(3)
This change is unnecessary. See src/bin/pg_dumpall.c for similar switches.

- while ((c = getopt_long(argc, argv,
"aAc:d:eEf:F:h:HlL:no:p:P:qR:sStT:U:v:VwWxXz?01",
or+ while ((c = getopt_long(argc, argv,
"aAc:d:eEf:F:h:HlL:no:p:P:qR:sStT:U:v:VwWxXz?001",

Regards
MauMau

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