Re: pl/pgsql feature request: shorthand for argument and local variable references

On Thu, Jan 6, 2022, at 20:24, Pavel Stehule wrote:
> But there is nothing similar in standard.
> Standard doesn't specify any column or table or label names in the custom area.

I think that's an unfair comparison.
This isn't at all the same thing as dictating column or table names.
I merely suggest reusing an existing reserved keyword.

>>čt 6. 1. 2022 v 20:03 odesílatel Joel Jacobson <joel(at)compiler(dot)org> napsal:
>>
>>If "in." would work, due to "in" being a reserved SQL keyword,
>>don't you think the benefits of a SQL standardized solution would outweigh our
>>personal preferences on what word each one of us prefer?
>
>I know that "in" is a reserved word in SQL, but I have not any knowledge of it being used as alias in SQL functions or in >SQL/PSM functions.

Are you concerned "in" might already be used as an alias somehow?

I did some testing:

"in" can be used as a column alias:

=> SELECT 123 AS in;
in
-----
123
(1 row)

But it cannot be used as a table alias, which is what matters:

=> WITH in AS (SELECT 1) SELECT * FROM in;
ERROR: syntax error at or near "in"

=> SELECT * FROM t in;
ERROR: syntax error at or near "in"

=> SELECT * FROM t AS in;
ERROR: syntax error at or near "in"

It's also currently not possible to use it as a PL/pgSQL alias:

=> CREATE FUNCTION f(id int)
RETURNS void
LANGUAGE plpgsql AS $$
DECLARE
in ALIAS FOR $1;
BEGIN
END
$$;
ERROR: syntax error at or near "in"
LINE 5: in ALIAS FOR $1;

/Joel