Re: proposal: psql concise mode

On Sun, Nov 6, 2011 at 3:29 PM, Josh Kupershmidt <schmiddy(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote:
> On Sun, Nov 6, 2011 at 1:16 PM, Dickson S. Guedes <listas(at)guedesoft(dot)net> wrote:
>>> test=# \d+ foo
>>>                         Table "public.foo"
>>>  Column |  Type   | Storage
>>> --------+---------+---------
>>>  a      | integer | plain
>>>  b      | integer | plain
>>> Has OIDs: no
>>
>> Using your example, what if column 'b' has a comment and 'a' not? How
>> the above output will be displayed?
>
> Then the comments would be displayed as they previously were, like so:
>
>                         Table "public.foo"
>  Column |  Type   | Storage | Description
> --------+---------+---------+-------------
>  a      | integer | plain   |
>  b      | integer | plain   | some comment
> Has OIDs: no

I don't strongly object to this, but I wonder how useful it will
really be in practice. It strikes me as the sort of advanced psql
hackery that only a few people will use, and only some of those will
gain any benefit. Empty columns don't really take up that much screen
width, and even one value in any given column will require its
inclusion anyway. I can also see myself turning it on and then going
- oh, wait, is that column not there, or did it just disappear because
I'm in concise mode?

Not saying we shouldn't do it, just some food for thought.

--
Robert Haas
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