Re: Support for %TYPE in CREATE FUNCTION

Ian Lance Taylor wrote:
> [...]
> I propose this: if a table definition changes, alter the function to
> use the new type (choice 2).  If there is already a function with the
> new type, issue a NOTICE and drop the old function (choice 23b).  If
> something is using the old function, issue a NOTICE while dropping the
> old function (choice 2b).

    Altering  a  function  definition  in any language other than
    PL/pgSQL really scares me. What do you expect a "C"  function
    declared  to take a VARCHAR argument to do if you just change
    the pg_proc entry telling it now takes a NAME? I'd expect  it
    to  generate  a  signal  11  most  of it's calls, and nothing
    really useful the other times.

    And you have no chance of  limiting  your  implementation  to
    functions  defined  in  PL/pgSQL.  It's  a loadable PL so you
    don't even know the languages  or  handlers  Oid  at  compile
    time.

> If you agree with me on the meta-point, then this is just a quibble
> about my original patch (which made choice 1 above).  If you disagree
> with me, I'd like to understand why.

    The  possible SIGSEGV above. Please don't take it personally,
    I'm talking tech here, but it seems you forgot that  PL/pgSQL
    is just *one* of many possible languages.

    And  please  forget  about  a  chance  to  finally  track all
    dependencies. You'll never be able to know if some PL/Tcl  or
    PL/Python function/trigger uses that function. So not getting
    your NOTICE doesn't tell if really nothing broke. As soon  as
    you  tell  me  you  can I'd implement PL/Forth or PL/Pascal -
    maybe PL/COBOL or PL/RPL (using an  embedded  HP48  emulator)
    just to tell "you can't" again :-)


Jan

--

#======================================================================#
# It's easier to get forgiveness for being wrong than for being right. #
# Let's break this rule - forgive me.                                  #
#================================================== JanWieck@Yahoo.com #



_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com