Re: error messages VERY misleading...!

On Wed, Mar 21, 2001 at 06:46:44AM -0800, Stephan Szabo wrote:
>
> On Wed, 21 Mar 2001, will trillich wrote:
>
> > DECLARE
> >     val int4;
> > BEGIN
> >     -- minutes
> >     val := int( date_part(''epoch'',current_timestamp - $1) / 60 ) ;
> >     IF val < 60 THEN
> >         val := val / 5; -- round down to 5-minute chunks
> >         IF val < 1
> >             val := 1;
> >         END IF;
> >         return (val * 5) || '' min'';
> >     END IF;
> >     -- other time chunks follow
> > END;
> > ' LANGUAGE 'plpgsql';
> >
> >
> >     do you see the problem? i sure didn't, not for SEVEN HOURS
> >     (thankyouverymuch). here's why:
> >
> >
> > psql=> SELECT showage( CURRENT_TIMESTAMP );
> > ERROR:  parser: parse error at or near "$2"
>
> My guess is that the variables are treated as $ things
> ($1 in this case is your argument, $2 == val)
>
> So it's complaining at the val:=1 line.
>
> Yeah, those messages could use help.

they need an industrial crane, lemme tellya.

even a line number or a snapshot from context would be nice:

    ERROR:  parser: parse error at or near "$2" in line 9 of 'proc'
    ERROR:  parser: parse error at or near "$2" in "val := 1;"

ah well.

--
It is always hazardous to ask "Why?" in science, but it is often
interesting to do so just the same.
        -- Isaac Asimov, 'The Genetic Code'

will@serensoft.com
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