BUG #18665: Breaking a foreign constraint: the error message may be more detailed
The following bug has been logged on the website:
Bug reference: 18665
Logged by: Nat Makarevitch
Email address: nat@makarevitch.org
PostgreSQL version: 17.0
Operating system: Linux
Description:
A query breaking a foreign key triggers a "cannot truncate a table
referenced in a foreign key constraint" error. In the DETAIL section of
this message the child table name isn't fully qualified: it omits its schema
name.
Stating this schema name would be useful. Case in point: the child table is
in a schema not named in the SEARCH_PATH and another child table bearing the
same name and foreign key exists in a SCHEMA stated in the SEARCH_PATH.
Suggestion: in this DETAIL string please show the complete child's table
name (=> prefixed by its schema name).
To exhibit the gain:
show search_path;
create schema not_in_searchpath ;
create table public.parent (id integer generated by default as identity
primary key, name text); create table public.child(name_id integer
references public.parent(id), nickname text);
create table not_in_searchpath.child(name_id integer references
public.parent(id), nickname text); insert into public.parent(name) values
('Foo'); select * from public.parent; truncate public.parent;
Corresponding session (commented):
search_path
═════════════
public
(1 row)
CREATE SCHEMA
CREATE TABLE
CREATE TABLE
CREATE TABLE
INSERT 0 1
id │ name
════╪══════
1 │ Foo
(1 row)
ERROR: cannot truncate a table referenced in a foreign key constraint
DETAIL: Table "child" references "parent".
HINT: Truncate table "child" at the same time, or use TRUNCATE ...
CASCADE.
table child;
name_id │ nickname
═════════╪══════════
(0 rows)
-- at this stage I'm baffled: "child" (this is public.child!) is empty. The
culprit is the not_in_searchpath.child table , and the DETAIL section of
the error message would be more helpful to me by stating it.
Thank you
PG Bug reporting form <noreply@postgresql.org> writes:
A query breaking a foreign key triggers a "cannot truncate a table
referenced in a foreign key constraint" error. In the DETAIL section of
this message the child table name isn't fully qualified: it omits its schema
name.
By and large, we don't include objects' schema names in error messages
ever. I'm not sure why this specific one should break that habit.
If you want to (re)start a conversation about whether more error
messages should include schema names, you can ... but a bug report
is not the mechanism for doing that. This is not a bug, it's
acting as designed and in keeping with a lot of other code.
regards, tom lane