Re: csv format for psql

On Sunday, June 3, 2018, Pavel Stehule <pavel(dot)stehule(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote:
>
>
> \pset fieldsep ;
> \pset format csv
>
> I don't like when one command overwrite settings of some other command. We
> can introduce some similar like GUC where default values from configure
> file can be overwritten by custom setting for session. So I am able to
> thinking about some settings
>
> like
>
> \pset csv_default_separator
> \pset csv_default_header
>
> Then there is question to simplify all and use \pset csv_separator, and
> csv format independent of fieldseparator value? It is possible, but I don't
> think so have more option for similar value is good idea (for interactive
> mode).
>

Having a dedicated option seems infinitely better than adding new settings
for defaults and having to keep track of whether the shared field separator
is a default versus a user specified value.

Recently we reworked server GUCs to avoid this kind of unset/default
behavior. I don't see how introducing or relying upon it in psql would be
an advantage.

At this point -1, keep the status quo, for any implementation that tries to
make the unaligned mode field separator perform double duty. I'm open, but
unlikely, to be convinced that it can be done without unforeseen bad side
effects and degraded usability.

David J.