Re: Backward compatibility patch for numutils.c

Hi!

Can noone give me any advice on whether to use this backward compatibility patch or not? I'm not a PG-hacker, so some better educated opinions would be very welcome. Thank you!

Kind regards,

  Markus


-----Original Message-----
From:	pgsql-general-owner@postgresql.org on behalf of Markus Wollny
Sent:	Wed 6/30/2004 20:05
To:	pgsql-general@postgresql.org
Cc:	
Subject:	[GENERAL] Backward compatibility patch for numutils.c
Hi!

We're using some "hardwired" apps which try to insert '' in INT-fields when what they really mean is NULL. 7.2 wasn't bothered by this behaviour, but 7.3 was and it broke some apps then. So Bruce had posted a patch for 7.3's /src/backend/utils/adt/numutils.c - I couldn't find the original posting when someone asked some time ago and I cannot find it now, however I have reposted his patch there: http://groups.google.de/groups?hl=de&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=2266D0630E43BB4290742247C89105750393D53E%40dozer.computec.de

Now the relevant bit has slightly changed in 7.4.x and I wonder what else would be affected when applying the same thing here; I have made the same changes to the source of 7.4.3, resulting in the following diff:

diff numutils.c.patched numutils.c.orig 
69,74c69,74
<       else if (*s == 0) 
<            {
<               /* 7.4.X workaround for broken apps */
<               elog(WARNING, "pg_atoi: zero-length string");
<               l = (long) 0;
<              }        
---
>       if (*s == 0)
>               ereport(ERROR,
>                               (errcode(ERRCODE_INVALID_TEXT_REPRESENTATION),
>                                errmsg("invalid input syntax for integer: \"%s\"",
>                                               s)));
> 

It compiles fine, but I don't know if I'd shoot myself in the foot when actually using and trusting the thus patched 7.4.3 in a production environment. Any thoughts? Or can I put my mind at rest regardless? I know it's breaking the SQL-specs, but I'd rather have that than broken apps...

Kind regards

Markus Wollny

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