Re: psql wrapped format default for backslash-d commands

On Sat, May 10, 2008 at 3:52 AM, Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us> wrote:
> Now that psql '\pset format wrapped' is in CVS, we should consider when
> we want to use 'wrapped' format by default.  I think psql \df and \dT
> certainly can benefit from wrapped mode.  \df+ even displays, though
> there is quite a bit of wrapping.
>

I for one would definitely like backslash commands with very wide
output to be wrapped by default.

> The attached patch uses wrapped format for \d* output if the current
> output format is 'aligned'.  It certainly helps the \df and \dT because
> those outputs have normally narrow values with a few wide values that
> cause aligned output to be much too wide.  The downside of the patch is
> that you can no longer get 'aligned' output for \d* commands anymore
> because there is no way to know if the user specified 'aligned' or if
> they are just using the default.
>

Doesn't this suggest that we need an "auto" formatting mode which has
the semantics "let psql decide what format mode I want"?

Then the people who object to wrapped mode can just set formatting to
aligned explicitly and be done with it.

I seem to recall there was some discussion of an "auto" mode in the
original wrapping thread, but if there was any meaningful conclusion I
lost it in amongst the width detection flame war.

Cheers,
BJ