Truthfully, PostgreSQL has good error reporting, and I won't cry if it
does not get changed at all.
I just thought another system that I like might spawn some good ideas.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tom Lane [mailto:tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us] 
> Sent: Friday, May 16, 2003 8:26 PM
> To: Dann Corbit
> Cc: pgsql-hackers@postgresql.org
> Subject: Re: [HACKERS] Error message style guide, take 2 
> {just for ideas to kick around...} 
> 
> 
> "Dann Corbit" <DCorbit@connx.com> writes:
> > ... here is the OpenVms message format described:
> 
> > Messages are displayed in the following format:
> > %FACILITY-L-IDENT, message-text 
> 
> This is fine on its own terms, but I really don't see any 
> advantage that justifies changing away from our historic 
> behavior.  To take it point by
> point:
> 
> FACILITY: if we are talking about a Postgres-only stderr log, 
> then this would be redundant.  If we are talking about a 
> syslog log, then syslog already takes responsibility for 
> labeling every entry with the originating daemon; so it's 
> still redundant.
> 
> L (level): see ERROR/WARNING/LOG/etc.  I see no advantage in 
> abbreviating this to one letter.
> 
> IDENT: we do have some options here, since coded message 
> idents are something we don't have and are just about to add. 
>  But I think you've got a steep uphill fight to argue that we 
> should adopt idents other than the SQL-spec-mandated SQLSTATE 
> codes.  I've got no great love for the SQLSTATE design 
> myself, but it is *standard*, and you've got to admit that 
> one fixed code is about as good as any other one for 
> programmatic purposes.
> 
> Message text: we got that.
> 
> 
> > The following is a typical message:
> 
> > %TYPE (1)-W- (2)OPENIN (3), error opening 
> _DB0:[ROSE]STATS.FOR;(4) as 
> > input  (5)
> 
> As an example of good message design, this is not exactly 
> compelling :-( I think I understand which part of it is a VMS 
> filename, but where is any hint of exactly what failed or 
> why?  Somebody's been concentrating on form to the exclusion 
> of function ...
> 
> 			regards, tom lane
> 

Fri, 16 May 2003 20:35:12 -0700
"Dann Corbit" <DCorbit@connx.com>
Re: Error message style guide,
	take 2 {just for ideas to kick around...}