Re: BUG #5926: information schema dtd_identifier for element_types, columns, parameters views inconsistent

On 11.03.2011 14:18, Ingmar Brouns wrote:
> The following bug has been logged online:
>
> Bug reference: 5926
> Logged by: Ingmar Brouns
> Email address: swingi(at)gmail(dot)com
> PostgreSQL version: 9.0.3
> Operating system: Ubuntu 9.0.4
> Description: information schema dtd_identifier for element_types,
> columns, parameters views inconsistent
> Details:
>
> Hi,
>
> I am writing a function that needs to retrieve information with respect to
> the types of parameters of functions. I use the information schema for that.
> The parameters view documentation states:
>
> data_type: Data type of the parameter, if it is a built-in type, or ARRAY if
> it is some array (in that case, see the view element_types)
>
> So for arrays I will have to join with information_schema.element_types
>
> http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.0/static/infoschema-element-types.html
>
> At the top op that documentation is some example code, it joins on
> dtd_identifier, the code does not work:
>
> create table public.test_table(a varchar array, b integer, c integer
> array);
>
> SELECT c.column_name, c.data_type, e.data_type AS element_type
> FROM information_schema.columns c
> LEFT JOIN information_schema.element_types e
> ON ((c.table_catalog, c.table_schema, c.table_name, 'TABLE',
> c.dtd_identifier)
> = (e.object_catalog, e.object_schema, e.object_name, e.object_type,
> e.dtd_identifier))
> WHERE c.table_schema = 'public' AND c.table_name = 'test_table'
> ORDER BY c.ordinal_position;
>
> column_name | data_type | element_type
> -------------+-----------+--------------
> a | ARRAY |
> b | integer |
> c | ARRAY |
> (3 rows)
>
> The same holds when joining with the parameters view. The reason seems to be
> that the dtd_identifier of the element_types view has prepended 'a's whereas
> the dtd_identifiers of the columns and parameter views do not:
>
> select column_name,dtd_identifier
> from information_schema.columns c
> where c.table_schema = 'public'
> and c.table_name = 'test_table';
>
> column_name | dtd_identifier
> -------------+----------------
> a | 1
> b | 2
> c | 3
> (3 rows)
>
> select dtd_identifier
> from information_schema.element_types e
> where e.object_schema = 'public'
> and e.object_name = 'test_table';
>
> dtd_identifier
> ----------------
> a1
> a3
> (2 rows)
>
> The element_types view has a column 'collection_type_identifier', this
> column is not present in the documentation. It is defined exactly as the
> dtd_identifier, only then without the prepended 'a':
>
> ('a'::text || x.objdtdid::text)::information_schema.sql_identifier AS
> dtd_identifier
> x.objdtdid ::information_schema.sql_identifier AS
> collection_type_identifier
>
> When I modify the example code to join on this column instead, I get the
> expected results:
>
> SELECT c.column_name, c.data_type, e.data_type AS element_type
> FROM information_schema.columns c LEFT JOIN information_schema.element_types
> e
> ON ((c.table_catalog, c.table_schema, c.table_name, 'TABLE',
> c.dtd_identifier)
> = (e.object_catalog, e.object_schema, e.object_name, e.object_type,
> e.collection_type_identifier))
> WHERE c.table_schema = 'public' AND c.table_name = 'test_table'
> ORDER BY c.ordinal_position;
>
> column_name | data_type | element_type
> -------------+-----------+-------------------
> a | ARRAY | character varying
> b | integer |
> c | ARRAY | integer
> (3 rows)
>
>

Many thanks for figuring this out.

I think we should fix the documentation here.

Best Regards,

Susanne Ebrecht

--
Susanne Ebrecht - 2ndQuadrant
PostgreSQL Development, 24x7 Support, Training and Services
www.2ndQuadrant.com