Re: \if, \elseif, \else, \endif (was Re: PSQL commands: \quit_if, \quit_unless)

Fabien COELHO <coelho@cri.ensmp.fr>

From: Fabien COELHO <coelho@cri.ensmp.fr>
To: Daniel Verite <daniel@manitou-mail.org>
Cc: Corey Huinker <corey.huinker@gmail.com>, PostgreSQL <pgsql-hackers@postgresql.org>
Date: 2017-01-26T20:55:13Z
Lists: pgsql-hackers
Hello Daniel,

> A comment about control flow and variables: in branches that are not 
> taken, variables are expanded nonetheless, in a way that can be 
> surprising. Case in point:
>
> \set var 'ab''cd'
> -- select :var;
> \if false
>  select :var ;
> \else
>  select 1;
> \endif
>
> To avoid that kind of trouble, would it make sense not to expand
> variables in untaken branches?

Hmmm. This case is somehow contrived (for a string, :'var' could be used, 
in which case escaping would avoid the hazard), but I think that what you 
suggest is a better behavior, if easy to implement.

-- 
Fabien.


Commits

  1. Support \if ... \elif ... \else ... \endif in psql scripting.

  2. Add a "void *" passthrough pointer for psqlscan.l's callback functions.