Chris, 23.07.2009 09:06:
> psql -d dbname
> ..
> # select now();
> now
> -------------------------------
> 2009-07-23 17:04:21.406424+10
> (1 row)
>
> Time: 2.434 ms
> (csmith@[local]:5432) 17:04:21 [test]
> # savepoint xyz;
> ERROR: SAVEPOINT can only be used in transaction blocks
> (csmith@[local]:5432) 17:04:25 [test]
>
> You haven't explicitly started a transaction, therefore savepoints won't
> work.
>
> Django (it seems) just issues queries with no knowledge of (and no way
> to support) them.
The above situation only arises if you run in autocommit mode which is the default for psql (which I have *never*
understood).
If you do a "\set AUTOCOMMIT off", then you can set a savepoint without using BEGIN. I have this in my psqlrc.conf and
yourexample looks like this on my computer:
c:\Temp>psql training thomas
psql (8.4.0)
Type "help" for help.
training=> select now(); now
----------------------------2009-07-23 09:30:55.791+02
(1 row)
training=> savepoint abc;
SAVEPOINT
training=> release abc;
RELEASE
training=>
I don't believe any serious ORM would run in autocommit mode, so that shouldn't be a problem.
Thomas