Re: psql behavior change on upgrade from version 12.x to 13.1

Hi Bryn,

> On 09. Feb, 2021, at 19:55, Bryn Llewellyn <bryn(at)yugabyte(dot)com> wrote:
>
> Using a MacBook Pro with the current Big Sur—Version 11.2 (20D64).
>
> I just upgraded to PostgreSQL 13.1. (Earlier, I was on 12.x.) Using psql, the behavior of ordinary copy-and-paste has change dramatically, and for the worse, w.r.t. Version 12.
>
> HAS ANYBODY ELSE SEEN WHAT I REPORT BELOW?
>
> First observation
>
> Now, when I copy a single line SQL command, terminated with semicolon and newline from the Text Edit app (with Command-C or the menu item) and then paste it into psql (with Command-V or the menu item), the newline isn't respected. I have to hit the return key by hand to see the effect. Moreover, the pasted line has a highlighted background.
>
> Second observation
>
> When I copy _several_ lines of SQL commands from the Text Edit app and then paste them into psql, none of the newlines are respected. (I still get the strange highlight.) Now when I hit the return key, I get errors like this:
>
> \i: extra argument "<the text of the line>" ignored
>
> for every single line.
>
> This makes a standard working practice that my fingers have learned over decades suddenly completely unusable.
>
> NOTE: the \i metacommand still works as it always did.

well, I guess this is a macOS Big Sur issue and not a PostgreSQL problem. Or rather, it's a user (your) issue because it works as designed. ;-)

I'm on Big Sur 11.2 (20D64) too. From what I can tell, copy/paste hasn't changed. But then, I don't use Text Edit. I use both vi in a Terminal and TextMate. I don't like Text Edit because this is just as comfortable and capable as is Windows' Notepad...

Anyway, copying a line including the newline will require you to mark the whole line. Triple click on a line and you see the marking go beyond the last character in the line.

If you click (and hold!) while moving the mouse you will see the marking move accordingly. Note how it jumps to show the complete line up to the full right including the part beyond the last character if you move the mouse beyond that. If you want to include the new line in your copying to the clipboard, you'll need to include that in your marking.

Cheers,
Paul