Re: pl/pgsql feature request: shorthand for argument and local variable references

On Thu, Jan 6, 2022, at 20:24, Pavel Stehule wrote:

> But there is nothing similar in standard.

> Standard doesn't specify any column or table or label names in the custom area.

I think that's an unfair comparison.

This isn't at all the same thing as dictating column or table names.

I merely suggest reusing an existing reserved keyword.

>>čt 6. 1. 2022 v 20:03 odesílatel Joel Jacobson <joel@compiler.org> napsal:

>>

>>If "in." would work, due to "in" being a reserved SQL keyword,

>>don't you think the benefits of a SQL standardized solution would outweigh our

>>personal preferences on what word each one of us prefer?

>

>I know that "in" is a reserved word in SQL, but I have not any knowledge of it being used as alias in SQL functions or in >SQL/PSM functions.

Are you concerned "in" might already be used as an alias somehow?

I did some testing:

"in" can be used as a column alias:

=> SELECT 123 AS in;

in

-----

123

(1 row)

But it cannot be used as a table alias, which is what matters:

=> WITH in AS (SELECT 1) SELECT * FROM in;

ERROR:  syntax error at or near "in"

=> SELECT * FROM t in;

ERROR:  syntax error at or near "in"

=> SELECT * FROM t AS in;

ERROR:  syntax error at or near "in"

It's also currently not possible to use it as a PL/pgSQL alias:

=> CREATE FUNCTION f(id int)

RETURNS void

LANGUAGE plpgsql AS $$

DECLARE

in ALIAS FOR $1;

BEGIN

END

$$;

ERROR:  syntax error at or near "in"

LINE 5: in ALIAS FOR $1;

/Joel