Re: Should array_length() Return NULL

Brendan Jurd <direvus(at)gmail(dot)com> writes:
> On 16 March 2013 09:07, Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us> wrote:
>> The thing is that that syntax creates an array of zero dimensions,
>> not one that has 1 dimension and zero elements.

> I'm going to ask the question that immediately comes to mind: Is there
> anything good at all about being able to define a zero-dimensional
> array?

Perhaps not. I think for most uses, a 1-D zero-length array would be
just as good. I guess what I'd want to know is whether we also need
to support higher-dimensional zero-size arrays, and if so, what does
the I/O syntax for those look like?

Another fly in the ointment is that if we do redefine '{}' as meaning
something other than a zero-D array, how will we handle existing
database entries that are zero-D arrays?

regards, tom lane