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

Fabien COELHO <coelho@cri.ensmp.fr> writes:
>> I also fear that there are corner cases where the behavior would still
>> be inconsistent.  Consider
>> 
>> \if ...
>> \set foo `echo \endif should not appear here`

> In this instance, ISTM that there is no problem. On "\if true", set is 
> executed, all is well. On "\if false", the whole line would be skipped 
> because the if-related commands are only expected on their own line, all 
> is well again. No problem.

AFAICS, you misunderstood the example completely, or else you're proposing
syntax restrictions that are even more bizarre and unintelligible than
I thought before.  We cannot have a situation where the syntax rules for
backslash commands inside an \if are fundamentally different from what
they are elsewhere; that's just going to lead to confusion and bug
reports.
        regards, tom lane