Re: Setting a pre-existing index as a primary key

So, would anyone be averse to something like the following:

ALTER TABLE blah ADD ... PRIMARY KEY (...) USING PREBUILT INDEX index_hame

If the user doesn't specify CONSTRAINT constraint_name, it will
default to current implicit behavior of col_pkey.

-Jonah


On Sat, May 10, 2008 at 1:08 PM, Joshua D. Drake <jd@commandprompt.com> wrote:
> Tom Lane wrote:
>
>> Apparently your definition of "easy" depends entirely on
>> keystrokes and not at all on memory/cognitive burden.
>
> I was trying to remove one opportunity for human error, which is tied to
> memory and cognitive burden. It is very easy to fat finger something. Is it
> a critical error? No. Is it obnoxious to have to go back and fix it, yes.
> When you are going back to fix, are you going to be grousing about how
> PostgreSQL doesn't make this easier, maybe.
>
>>
>> IMHO a utility command should do one easily-explained thing.  The fewer
>> options the better.
>
> I would agree with this except that by my definition your argument fails.
> You are adding options by not allowing a sane default that applies
> consistency to the database. I believe this will cause more trouble than
> having the limitation in the first place.
>
> Anyway, I have made my arguments. I believe we are still in the middle of a
> commit fest.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Joshua D. Drake
>
>



-- 
Jonah H. Harris, Sr. Software Architect | phone: 732.331.1324
EnterpriseDB Corporation | fax: 732.331.1301
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