Thread

1. double precision to numeric overflow error

   Thomas F.O'Connell <tfo@monsterlabs.com> — 2003-01-07T23:12:08Z

   is this expected behavior? if so, then why?
   
   -tfo
   
   db=# create table foo( col timestamp );
   db=# select cast( extract( epoch from col ) as numeric( 15, 6 ) ) from 
   foo;
    date_part 
   -----------
   (0 rows)
   db=# insert into foo values( current_timestamp );
   INSERT 1705954 1
   db=# select cast( extract( epoch from col ) as numeric( 15, 6 ) ) from 
   foo;
   ERROR:  overflow on numeric ABS(value) >= 10^9 for field with precision 
   15 scale 6
   
   

2. Re: [SQL] double precision to numeric overflow error

   Stephan Szabo <sszabo@megazone23.bigpanda.com> — 2003-01-07T23:36:44Z

   On Tue, 7 Jan 2003, Thomas O'Connell wrote:
   
   > is this expected behavior? if so, then why?
   
   I'd guess so if the timestamp value's integer part is
   10 digits long since I believe trying to fit that into
   a numeric(15,6) wouldn't work (9 digits . 6 digits).
   
   > db=# create table foo( col timestamp );
   > db=# select cast( extract( epoch from col ) as numeric( 15, 6 ) ) from
   > foo;
   >  date_part
   > -----------
   > (0 rows)
   > db=# insert into foo values( current_timestamp );
   > INSERT 1705954 1
   > db=# select cast( extract( epoch from col ) as numeric( 15, 6 ) ) from
   > foo;
   > ERROR:  overflow on numeric ABS(value) >= 10^9 for field with precision
   > 15 scale 6
   
   
   
   
   

3. Re: double precision to numeric overflow error

   Thomas F.O'Connell <tfo@monsterlabs.com> — 2003-01-08T03:01:09Z

   Indeed, it seems as though my inability to count digits was the real 
   problem. Still, does this not strike anyone as a somewhat abstruse error 
   message?
   
   -tfo
   
   In article <20030107152951.R67168-100000@megazone23.bigpanda.com>,
    sszabo@megazone23.bigpanda.com (Stephan Szabo) wrote:
   
   > On Tue, 7 Jan 2003, Thomas O'Connell wrote:
   > 
   > > is this expected behavior? if so, then why?
   > 
   > I'd guess so if the timestamp value's integer part is
   > 10 digits long since I believe trying to fit that into
   > a numeric(15,6) wouldn't work (9 digits . 6 digits).
   > 
   > > db=# create table foo( col timestamp );
   > > db=# select cast( extract( epoch from col ) as numeric( 15, 6 ) ) from
   > > foo;
   > >  date_part
   > > -----------
   > > (0 rows)
   > > db=# insert into foo values( current_timestamp );
   > > INSERT 1705954 1
   > > db=# select cast( extract( epoch from col ) as numeric( 15, 6 ) ) from
   > > foo;
   > > ERROR:  overflow on numeric ABS(value) >= 10^9 for field with precision
   > > 15 scale 6
   
   

4. Re: double precision to numeric overflow error

   Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us> — 2003-01-08T04:15:09Z

   "Thomas O'Connell" <tfo@monsterlabs.com> writes:
   > Indeed, it seems as though my inability to count digits was the real 
   > problem. Still, does this not strike anyone as a somewhat abstruse error 
   > message?
   
   How would you phrase it?
   
   > ERROR:  overflow on numeric ABS(value) >= 10^9 for field with precision
   > 15 scale 6
   
   It's technically correct, but if you think you can word it better,
   let's see your proposal...
   
   			regards, tom lane
   
   

5. Re: double precision to numeric overflow error

   Thomas F.O'Connell <tfo@monsterlabs.com> — 2003-01-08T05:36:12Z

   Well, it would've immediately (rather than the several minutes it took) 
   given away the problem if it read something like:
   
   ERROR:  overflow caused by cast of double precision value to numeric 
   without sufficient precision, scale (15, 6)
   
   or even, depending on how much detail is available or how much worth 
   assigned to error reporting:
   
   ERROR:  a double precision value requiring at least precision 16 cannot 
   be cast to a numeric value with precision 15, scale 6.
   
   i understand the need for balancing correctness with readability, 
   though. if there's anything technically incorrect about either of my 
   proprosals, they clearly should not be used.
   
   i'm usually a fan of breaking error messages down as far as the details 
   will allow them to be correctly broken down.
   
   in this situtation, it seems like it is this specific cast (double 
   precision -> numeric) in this specific scenario (insufficient precision) 
   that generates the error.
   
   unfortunately, i haven't read the code... :(
   
   -tfo
   
   In article <726.1041999309@sss.pgh.pa.us>, tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us (Tom Lane) 
   wrote:
   
   > "Thomas O'Connell" <tfo@monsterlabs.com> writes:
   > > Indeed, it seems as though my inability to count digits was the real 
   > > problem. Still, does this not strike anyone as a somewhat abstruse error 
   > > message?
   > 
   > How would you phrase it?
   > 
   > > ERROR:  overflow on numeric ABS(value) >= 10^9 for field with precision
   > > 15 scale 6
   > 
   > It's technically correct, but if you think you can word it better,
   > let's see your proposal...
   
   

6. Re: double precision to numeric overflow error

   Jan Wieck <janwieck@yahoo.com> — 2003-01-17T20:43:31Z

   Thomas O'Connell wrote:
   > 
   > Well, it would've immediately (rather than the several minutes it took)
   > given away the problem if it read something like:
   > 
   > ERROR:  overflow caused by cast of double precision value to numeric
   > without sufficient precision, scale (15, 6)
   > 
   > or even, depending on how much detail is available or how much worth
   > assigned to error reporting:
   
   The message will be exactly the same in all cases, since there is no
   more detail. I think words about casting and such could be fairly
   confusing in the case someone just inserts a literal value - no?
   
   
   Jan
   
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