Re: Possibly hard-to-read message

David G. Johnston <david.g.johnston@gmail.com>

From: "David G. Johnston" <david.g.johnston@gmail.com>
To: Kyotaro Horiguchi <horikyota.ntt@gmail.com>
Cc: pgsql-hackers@lists.postgresql.org
Date: 2025-03-26T03:52:33Z
Lists: pgsql-hackers

Commits

Same data as JSON: GET /api/v1/messages/:b64id/commits the thread's linked commits as JSON, with link sources. API reference →
  1. psql: Reword help message and docs for WATCH_INTERVAL

  2. psql: Clarify help message for WATCH_INTERVAL

  3. psql: Make default \watch interval configurable

On Tue, Mar 25, 2025 at 8:07 PM Kyotaro Horiguchi <horikyota.ntt@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I came across the following help message added in commit 1a759c83278:
>
> +       HELP0("  WATCH_INTERVAL\n"
> +                 "    number of seconds \\watch by default waits between
> executing the query buffer\n");
>
> It took me a little while to understand it. I read "executing the
> query buffer" as referring to executions of the query buffer, which
> clarified that the wait occurs between each execution.
>
> > number of seconds \\watch waits by default between executions of the
> query buffer
>
> I’m just wondering if the message might be worth revising. If it’s
> already clear enough, please feel free to disregard this.
>
>
I'm on board with tweaking this.

default number of seconds \watch waits after each execution.

Requires changing \watch:

- Wait the specified number of seconds (default 2) between executions.
+Wait the specified number of seconds (default 2) after each execution.

The fragment "of the query buffer" can be omitted from the description for
watch_interval to match up with the wording in \watch.

The manual too would be updated:

- This variable sets the default interval which \watch waits between
executing the query.
+This variable sets the default interval \watch waits after each query
execution.

(Removing "which" should be considered regardless; tongue-twister and not
all that sure it is grammatically correct or necessary.)

I'm guess I'm ok with the second sentence there; but all it is doing is
explain how defaults work...
Specifying an interval in the command overrides this variable.

David J.