Errata

Could you let the authors know that following their instructions for
creating the test database - booktown failed comprehensively from this
machine, using PostgreSQL 7.2.1

Thus

-----
sql -U postgres template1 -f /Volumes/CDROM/booktown.sql
psql: warning: extra option -f ignored
psql: warning: extra option /Volumes/CDROM/booktown.sql ignored
Welcome to psql, the PostgreSQL interactive terminal.

Type: copyright for distribution terms
h for help with SQL commands
? for help on internal slash commands
g or terminate with semicolon to execute query
q to quit

template1=#

---

I eventually created the database by using the i command - but getting
the test database created is pretty fundamental to the use of the book,
so perhaps this could be reviewed.

A previous reader mentioned problems with loading the booktown.sql file. The correct
command to load should read:

psql -U postgres -f /mnt/cdrom/booktown.sql template1

The database always goes last on the psql command.

On the discussion of the AT TIME ZONE clause could specify that the argument can be column reference or (almost) any other valid SQ
L. PosstgreSQL seems to not implement the AT LOCAL syntax.

Example:

test=# select version();
version
-------------------------------------------------------------
PostgreSQL 7.1.3 on i686-pc-linux-gnu, compiled by GCC 2.96
(1 row)
test=# create table tz (t timestamp, z text);
CREATE
test=# insert into tz values (now(), 'GMT');
INSERT 340574 1
test=# insert into tz values (now(), 'PST');
INSERT 340575 1
test=# select t at time zone z from tz;
timezone
------------------------
2002-02-04 18:43:55+00
2002-02-04 10:44:00-08
(2 rows)

Note the unusual column name...

I think the common consent is that inheritance in the current version of PostgreSQL is badly broken. It is an outstanding TODO ite
m.

You should at least mention (maybe with an owl) that all functions involving keys should be avoided. [It is probably better to avo
id inheritance completely....]

See for example http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-sql/2001-08/msg00047.php :

+++[Message 2]+++
* From: Allan Engelhardt <allane@cybaea.com>
* To: pgsql-sql@postgresql.org
* Subject: Inheritance is completely broken [was: Re: Creating foreign key constraint to child table?]
* Date: Sun, 05 Aug 2001 22:50:37 +0100

Dimitri pointed out (the post does not seem to have appered yet) that you can also do:

test=# create table foo(id integer primary key);
NOTICE: CREATE TABLE/PRIMARY KEY will create implicit index 'foo_pkey' for table 'foo'
CREATE
test=# create table bar () inherits (foo);
CREATE
test=# insert into foo values (1);
INSERT 12734236 1
test=# insert into foo values (1);
ERROR: Cannot insert a duplicate key into unique index foo_pkey
test=# insert into bar values (1);
INSERT 12734238 1
test=# select * from foo;
id
----
1
1
(2 rows)

So inheritance does seem to be completely broken. There is also an entry in the TODO list

Allow inherited tables to inherit index, UNIQUE constraint, and primary key, foreign key [inheritance]

which seems to be related. It doesn't have a dash, so I guess I won't hold my breath....

In this bit on advanced jdbc functionality, the author implies that CallableStatments
are implemented in the postgresql jdbc driver. In fact they are not, as of driver
version 7.2 (the most current release version as of 5/7/2002)! The best way to
execute pl/pgsql stored procedures from java is using the native postgres format of
"select function_name(argN...)". I would use a syntax like:

PreparedStatement ps = con.prepareStatment("select function_name(agrN...)");
ps.executeQuery();

"The ON DELETE clause indicates..." should read "The ON UPDATE clause
indicates ..."

The definition of "DROP" reads:
"The message returned when a user is dropped successfully"

As we're talking about DROP OPERATOR, it shoud read:
"The message returned when an operator is dropped successfully"