Re: Out parameters handling

Ryan Bradetich <rbradetich@gmail.com> writes:
> This is one of the things I wanted to start looking at for 8.5.
> My idea was to optionally use : or @ (not sure which is more popular) to
> specify this token is only a variable.

This whole line of thought is really a terrible idea IMHO.  plpgsql is
supposed to follow Oracle's pl/sql syntax, not invent random syntax of
its own.  I believe that 80% of the problems here are occurring because
we used a crude substitution method that got the priorities backwards
from the way Oracle does it.
        regards, tom lane