Re: Re: BUG #4053: libpq documentation should express clearly, that integers are passed in network octet order

[Andrew Chernow <ac(at)esilo(dot)com>]

Bruce Momjian wrote:
> Aleksej Saushev wrote:
> > "Merlin Moncure" <mmoncure(at)gmail(dot)com> writes:
> >
> > > Bruce Momjian wrote:
> > > > This brings up a good question.  Exactly how do users know what format
> > > > _binary_ is?  int4 is network byte order, but what about int8, float4,
> > > > inet?
> > > This is exactly what libpqtypes solves.  Not only do we handle
> > > formatting of binary formats, we provide a level of protection from
> > > internal format changes for libpq users.  See the example here:
> > > http://libpqtypes.esilo.com/.  So, documentation of binary formats
> > > (including network byte ordering) are not required.
> > No, it is still required. There's not a single reference to libpqtypes
> > in Postgres documentation, and libpqtypes isn't part of the distribution,
> > if I understand it right.
>
> Agreed.

Correct, libpqtypes is not part of the core.

What we are saying is, libpqtypes solves this problem.  I don't think 
docs is the solution because that just supports the idea of libpq apps 
directly handling binary formats; which makes changing these formats 
MUCH harder in future releases.  Lots of libpq apps would be dependant 
on these binary formats.

By all means, documenting this is probably a good idea.  I just don't 
think it solves any of the interesting problems.

--
Andrew Chernow
eSilo, LLC
every bit counts
http://www.esilo.com/