Peter Eisentraut <peter@eisentraut.org> writes:
> src/backend/nodes/print.c contains a number of functions that print node
> types, mostly to stdout. Most of these are not actually used anywhere
> in the code. Are they meant to be inserted into the code ad hoc for
> debugging? Is anyone using these?
Personally, I use pprint() a lot. (I invoke it manually from gdb and
then look into the postmaster log for results.) Its cousins such as
format_node_dump look like they were added by people with slightly
different tastes in output format, so they probably have a
constituency somewhere.
I tend to agree that print_rt() and the other tree-printing routines
below it (down to, but not including, print_slot) are not as useful
as invoking the outfuncs.c code; but others might think differently.
Sometimes you don't want all the gory detail.
regards, tom lane