I created functions to add comments based on the table and column name
rather than using the oids.  I include these calls as part of my table
creation scripts.  I assume that by initdb you mean when the database is
created than when Postgres is started.  If the oids can change every time
you start Posgtres, this would be a problem.   

I can upload my functions for integrating into Postgres as a standard way to
add comments (if requested).  Maybe we should consider attaching
descriptions to a table and or column name rather than an oid?

On another note, I have been following the thread about passing NULL
parameters into a C function call.  What is happening with this?  If a
parameter of a C function call contains NULL, the function is either not
called or returns NULL.  I would like to change this so that my C function
can return a value even though its parameters are NULL.

Thanks, Michael

	-----Original Message-----
	From:	Bruce Momjian [SMTP:maillist@candle.pha.pa.us]
	Sent:	Friday, March 12, 1999 11:31 AM
	To:	Michael Davis
	Cc:	pgsql-general@postgreSQL.org
	Subject:	Re: [GENERAL] Comments on columns?

	> I did that and it works great.  I would like \dd tablename to show
the table
	> comment and its column comments. 

	Yes, I would like this too, and have considered it.  The problem I
have
	had with system tables is that the oid of the table and columns is
	generated at initdb time, and not assigned constant values as the
	pg_proc entries are.

	I could modify psql to show comments, but I can't figure out how to
get
	the system tables to show this.

	In fact, the TODO list has:

	  * allow pg_descriptions when creating types, tables, columns, and
functions

	-- 
	  Bruce Momjian                        |  http://www.op.net/~candle
	  maillist@candle.pha.pa.us            |  (610) 853-3000
	  +  If your life is a hard drive,     |  830 Blythe Avenue
	  +  Christ can be your backup.        |  Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
19026

Fri, 12 Mar 1999 12:46:58 -0600
Michael Davis <michael.davis@prevuenet.com>
RE: [GENERAL] Comments on columns?
> I created functions to add comments based on the table and column name
> rather than using the oids.  I include these calls as part of my table
> creation scripts.  I assume that by initdb you mean when the database is
> created than when Postgres is started.  If the oids can change every time
> you start Posgtres, this would be a problem.   
> 
> I can upload my functions for integrating into Postgres as a standard way to
> add comments (if requested).  Maybe we should consider attaching
> descriptions to a table and or column name rather than an oid?

I like to keep using the oid because it allows comments on functions and
operators, which would make a 'name'-based system work badly.

I plan to add system tablename/column descriptions by doing some kind of
name/oid mapping function for this.  This will happen after 6.5.

I will also try to add some standard way of adding descriptions.

-- 
  Bruce Momjian                        |  http://www.op.net/~candle
  maillist@candle.pha.pa.us            |  (610) 853-3000
  +  If your life is a hard drive,     |  830 Blythe Avenue
  +  Christ can be your backup.        |  Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania 19026

Sun, 9 May 1999 16:09:02 -0400 (EDT)
Bruce Momjian <maillist@candle.pha.pa.us>
Re: [GENERAL] Comments on columns?