Re: SELECT INTO without columns or star

On Fri, Mar 31, 2023 at 11:26 AM Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us> wrote:

> "David G. Johnston" <david(dot)g(dot)johnston(at)gmail(dot)com> writes:
> > On Fri, Mar 31, 2023 at 8:10 AM Zhang Mingli <zmlpostgres(at)gmail(dot)com>
> wrote:
> >> When I exec a sql SELECT INTO without columns or * by mistake, it
> succeeds:
>
> > Yes, a table may have zero columns by design.
>
> Yup, we've allowed that for some time now; see the compatibility comments
> at the bottom of the SELECT man page.
>
> psql's display of zero-column results is a bit weird, which maybe
> somebody should fix sometime:
>
> regression=# select from generate_series(1,4);
> --
> (4 rows)
>
> I'd expect four blank lines there. Expanded format is even less sane:
>
> regression=# \x
> Expanded display is on.
> regression=# select from generate_series(1,4);
> (4 rows)
>
> ISTM that should produce
>
> [ RECORD 1 ]
> [ RECORD 2 ]
> [ RECORD 3 ]
> [ RECORD 4 ]
>
> and no "(4 rows)" footer, because \x mode doesn't normally print that.
>
> This is all just cosmetic of course, but it's still confusing.
>
> regards, tom lane
>

Tom,
I wouldn't mind working on a patch to fix this... (Especially if it helps
the %T get into PSQL<grin>).
I find this output confusing as well.

Should I start a new email thread: Proposal: Fix psql output when
selecting no columns
And get the discussion moving. I'd like to get a clear answer on what to
output. But I have
become more comfortable with PSQL due to messing with readline for windows,
and 2-3 other patches
I've been working on.

Thanks, Kirk