Re: confusing error message

On 08/10/2013 02:43 AM, Stephen Frost wrote:
> * Craig Ringer (craig@2ndquadrant.com) wrote:
>> More seriously, with interpolated strings for relation names etc
>> it can be hard to know which chunks to search for, and search
>> engines aren't always good at having the whole message thrown at
>> them.
> 
> It's not perfect, but if the searches are getting to mailing list 
> archive messages then it's clearly possible for us to do better.
> Having an embedded code or URL or what-have-you might be an option
> too, but we need the documentation first in any case, so we could
> do these other things later..

Well said; you're quite right.

I complain myself that a focus on perfection can prevent progress.
Lets start with "helpful".

My first two would be:

"No pg_hba.conf entry for ..."

and

"fe_sendauth: no password supplied"

as both seem to confuse new users endlessly.

-- Craig Ringer                   http://www.2ndQuadrant.com/PostgreSQL Development, 24x7 Support, Training & Services