Re: timestamp datatype cleanup

Michael Meskes wrote:
> On Sun, Mar 09, 2008 at 12:32:20AM -0800, Warren Turkal wrote:
>> 1) Is there a reason that header information is duplicated between normal
>> posgresql include and ecpg includes instead of defining the info in one place
>> and #including it into the files that need it?

Merlin and I ran into this question while working on the libpq type system, 
found here:

http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-patches/2008-03/msg00057.php

It opens up the binary parameterized interface in libpq by providing data type 
converters, to and from external binary format and C data types, when performing 
queries or getting results.  This required copying and pasting some code from 
the backend for a couple types ... like datetime and numeric.  We had to work 
around several backend compile-time checks by using run-time checks; being how 
servers are compiled differently.

The most modular approach would be to abstract the backend/utils/adt API so the 
backend and client stuff can share the functionality.  We did mention this 
during one of our patch submissions, but didn't push it as it is a large change 
outside the scope of our patch.
>> As long as both implementations are kept in sync I don't see a reason.

Sharing the backend data type converters with client stuff is an obvious win, 
but its a tedious process probably lacking any motivation.  We did look at it 
though, it is possible.

-- 
Andrew Chernow
eSilo, LLC
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