Re: Re: BUG #4053: libpq documentation should express clearly, that integers are passed in network octet order

Bruce Momjian wrote:
> Aleksej Saushev wrote:
>> "Merlin Moncure" <mmoncure(at)gmail(dot)com> writes:
>>
>>> Bruce Momjian wrote:
>>>> This brings up a good question. Exactly how do users know what format
>>>> _binary_ is? int4 is network byte order, but what about int8, float4,
>>>> inet?
>>> This is exactly what libpqtypes solves. Not only do we handle
>>> formatting of binary formats, we provide a level of protection from
>>> internal format changes for libpq users. See the example here:
>>> http://libpqtypes.esilo.com/. So, documentation of binary formats
>>> (including network byte ordering) are not required.
>> No, it is still required. There's not a single reference to libpqtypes
>> in Postgres documentation, and libpqtypes isn't part of the distribution,
>> if I understand it right.
>
> Agreed.
>

Correct, libpqtypes is not part of the core.

What we are saying is, libpqtypes solves this problem. I don't think
docs is the solution because that just supports the idea of libpq apps
directly handling binary formats; which makes changing these formats
MUCH harder in future releases. Lots of libpq apps would be dependant
on these binary formats.

By all means, documenting this is probably a good idea. I just don't
think it solves any of the interesting problems.

--
Andrew Chernow
eSilo, LLC
every bit counts
http://www.esilo.com/