psql and output from \?

Started by Ian Barwickalmost 24 years ago16 messages

barwick@gmx.net

almost 24 years ago

First off:
This is a suggestion for minor changes to the output generated by the \?
command in psql. While it is more of a documentation issue, it would
involve changing code (well, a few strings) - is this the right place for
raising the subject? I would be happy to submit a patch if the changes are
acceptable.

Background:
In psql the \? command shows a summary of the available "slash" commands.
The syntax shown is however not always consistent (neither with the \?
command output nor with the psql manpage); eg.:

"\cd [DIRNAME] change the current working directory"

implies that provision of a parameter is optional (correct), whereas

"\C TITLE set table title"

implies that a title parameter is required. This is not in fact the case,
as executing \C without a parameter will unset any title previously set
with the same command. This behaviour is however correctly
documented in the manpage, which also shows the
command syntax as "\C [ title ]".

Similar is true of the following slash commands: \d \e \f \g \s \T

Solution:
Appended is a list of relevant backslash commands, their current
description as produced by \?, the respective manpage description (or
first part thereof) and suggested replacment for the \? description.
Assumption is that square brackets - as used elsewhere within the
\? output and the manpage documentation - imply optional parameters.

Yours pedantically

Ian Barwick

Suggestions follow:

\C
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

psql \?:
\C TITLE set table title

man:
\C [ title ]
Set the title of any tables being printed as the
result of a query or unset any such title. (...)

psql \? new:
\C [ TITLE ] set table title (or unset with no arguments)

\d
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

psql \?:
\d TABLE describe table (or view, index, sequence)

man:
\d relation
Shows all columns of relation (which could be a
table, view, index, or sequence), (...)

psql \? new:
\d [ RELATION ] describe relation (table, view, index or sequence)

\e
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

psql \?:
\e FILENAME edit the current query buffer or file with external editor

man
\edit (or \e) [ filename ]
If filename is specified, the file is edited; (...)

psql \? new:
\e [ FILENAME ] edit the current query buffer or file with external editor

\f
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

psql \?:
\f STRING set field separator

man:
\f [ string ]
Sets the field separator for unaligned query output. (...)

psql \? new:
\f [ STRING ] show or set field separator

\g
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

psql \?:
\g FILENAME send SQL command to server (and write results to file or |pipe)

man:
\g [ { filename | |command } ]
Sends the current query input buffer to the backend
and optionally saves the output in filename or
pipes the output into a separate Unix shell to exe?
cute command. (...)

psql \? new:
\g [ FILE | |PIPE ] send SQL command to server (and write results to file or
|pipe)

\s
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

psql \?:
\s FILENAME print history or save it to file

man:
\s [ filename ]
Print or save the command line history to filename.

psql \? new:
\s [ FILENAME ] print command line history or save it to file

\T
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

psql \?:
\T TEXT set HTML table tag attributes

man:
\T table_options
Allows you to specify options to be placed within
the table tag in HTML tabular output mode. (...)

psql \? new:
\T [ TAG_ATTR ] set HTML <table> tag attributes (or unset with no arguments)

__END__