Re: [SQL] [GENERAL] CURRENT_TIMESTAMP

Yes, I agree with you Manfred, but more people _don't_ want it to
change, and like it the way it is, so we will just keep it and add
now("string").

Added to TODO:

* Add now("transaction|statement|clock") functionality

I have attached an SGML patch that explains the issues with
CURRENT_TIMESTAMP in more detail.

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Manfred Koizar wrote:
> On Sat, 5 Oct 2002 00:29:03 -0400 (EDT), Bruce Momjian
> <pgman(at)candle(dot)pha(dot)pa(dot)us> wrote:
> >
> >OK, are we agreed to leave CURRENT_TIMESTAMP/now() alone and just add
> >now("string")? If no one replies, I will assume that is a yes and I
> >will add it to TODO.
>
> So my view of CURRENT_TIMESTAMP not being spec compliant didn't find
> much agreement. No problem, such is life.
>
> May I suggest that a "Compatibility" section is added to the bottom of
> functions-datetime.html?
>
>
> In case this issue is revisited later let me add for the archives:
>
> On Fri, 04 Oct 2002 09:54:42 -0400, Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us>
> wrote:
> >Freezing CURRENT_TIMESTAMP goes right along with that, and in fact makes
> >a lot of sense, because it tells you exactly what time your snapshot
> >of the database state was taken.
>
> I like this interpretation. But bear in mind that a transaction's own
> actions are visible to later commands in the same transaction.
> Looking at the clock is an "own action", so this is perfectly
> compatible with (my reading of) General Rule 1.
>
> A statement does not see its own modifications which corresponds to
> (my interpretation of) General Rule 3.
>
> And one last thought: There are applications out there that are not
> written for one specific database backend. Having to replace
> CURRENT_TIMESTAMP by PG-specific now('statement') is just one more
> pain in trying to be portable across different backends.
>
> Servus
> Manfred
>

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