Re: revoke all from public ?

Henk van Lingen <henkvl@cs.uu.nl> writes:
>   Isn't ...../postgresql/doc/html/sql-revoke.html a bit misguiding
>   saying:
>    PUBLIC
>       Rescind the specified privilege(s) for all users.

You're right, that's easily misread.  I've added some wording to try
to clarify:

  <para>
   <command>REVOKE</command> allows the creator of an object to revoke
   previously granted permissions from one or more users or groups of users.
   The key word <literal>PUBLIC</literal> refers to the implicitly defined
   group of all users.
  </para>

  <para>
   Note that any particular user will have the sum
   of privileges granted directly to him, privileges granted to any group he
   is presently a member of, and privileges granted to
   <literal>PUBLIC</literal>.  Thus, for example, revoking SELECT privilege
   from <literal>PUBLIC</literal> does not necessarily mean that all users
   have lost SELECT privilege on the object: those who have it granted
   directly or via a group will still have it.
  </para>

>   Anyways, thanx, i'll look for another way to revoke all permissions.

I'm afraid you have to do it retail: if you GRANTed anything to user
joe, you have to REVOKE FROM joe.  There's no easy shortcut.

Well ... hmm ... it would probably work to do
    UPDATE pg_class SET relacl = NULL WHERE relname = 'mytable';
which should revert the permissions on mytable to the default state.
Pretty ugly though, and not guaranteed to work the same in future releases.

            regards, tom lane