Re: Backward compatibility patch for numutils.c

Hi!

Can noone give me any advice on whether to use this backward compatibility patch or not? I'm not a PG-hacker, so some
bettereducated opinions would be very welcome. Thank you! 

Kind regards,

  Markus


-----Original Message-----
From:    pgsql-general-owner@postgresql.org on behalf of Markus Wollny
Sent:    Wed 6/30/2004 20:05
To:    pgsql-general@postgresql.org
Cc:
Subject:    [GENERAL] Backward compatibility patch for numutils.c
Hi!

We're using some "hardwired" apps which try to insert '' in INT-fields when what they really mean is NULL. 7.2 wasn't
botheredby this behaviour, but 7.3 was and it broke some apps then. So Bruce had posted a patch for 7.3's
/src/backend/utils/adt/numutils.c- I couldn't find the original posting when someone asked some time ago and I cannot
findit now, however I have reposted his patch there:
http://groups.google.de/groups?hl=de&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=2266D0630E43BB4290742247C89105750393D53E%40dozer.computec.de

Now the relevant bit has slightly changed in 7.4.x and I wonder what else would be affected when applying the same
thinghere; I have made the same changes to the source of 7.4.3, resulting in the following diff: 

diff numutils.c.patched numutils.c.orig
69,74c69,74
<       else if (*s == 0)
<            {
<               /* 7.4.X workaround for broken apps */
<               elog(WARNING, "pg_atoi: zero-length string");
<               l = (long) 0;
<              }
---
>       if (*s == 0)
>               ereport(ERROR,
>                               (errcode(ERRCODE_INVALID_TEXT_REPRESENTATION),
>                                errmsg("invalid input syntax for integer: \"%s\"",
>                                               s)));
>

It compiles fine, but I don't know if I'd shoot myself in the foot when actually using and trusting the thus patched
7.4.3in a production environment. Any thoughts? Or can I put my mind at rest regardless? I know it's breaking the
SQL-specs,but I'd rather have that than broken apps... 

Kind regards

Markus Wollny

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