Re: proposal: ANSI SQL 2011 syntax for named parameters

On 12/28/12 11:22 AM, Pavel Stehule wrote:

I am not sure, but maybe is time to introduce ANSI SQL syntax for
functions' named parameters

It is defined in ANSI SQL 2011
CALL P (B => 1, A => 2)

instead PostgreSQL syntax CALL ( B := 1, A := 2)

I agree it's probably time.

* should we support both - probably yes

yes

* how long time we will support pg syntax? - 2..5..ever years

* when we mark pg syntax as obsolete?

* when we remove pg syntax?

The := syntax was introduced in 9.0, so it is by now well entrenched.  I
don't think we should remove it at all any time soon.

As for documentation, just state how it is.  The standard syntax is =>,
but because of $various_issues, older versions only support :=.

To be honest I prefer := as it looks neater than =>, in part because I first saw that notation when I was learning ALGOL 60 and liked the justification they gave in the manual.

In fact I find => ugly and counter intuitive as I keep having the feeling that it points the wrong way, because A => 2 suggests to me that you are setting '2' to the value of 'A' which is plain daft!

I am sure there are worse standardisation formats - but for some reason, I find this one disproportionately irritating!  :-)

So I would much prefer to keep the old format, if at all possible.


Cheers,
Gavin