Comments on Database Objects Not Supported

[Padraig O'Sullivan]

Comments on database objects as supported through PostgreSQL are not currently supported through Akiban. For example:

drupal=> create table t1(id int not null);
CREATE TABLE
drupal=> comment on table t1 is 'this is a comment';
ERROR: [] com.akiban.sql.parser.ParseException: Encountered " <IDENTIFIER> "comment "" at line 1, column 1.
Was expecting one of:
    "alter" ...
    "begin" ...
    "commit" ...
    "create" ...
    "declare" ...
    "delete" ...
    "drop" ...
    "execute" ...
    "insert" ...
    "rollback" ...
    "select" ...
    "update" ...
    "values" ...
    "truncate" ...
    "call" ...
    "explain" ...
    "lock" ...
    "rename" ...
    "{" ...
    "(" ...
    "?" ...
    <DOLLAR_N> ...
    : comment on table t1 is 'this is a comment';
drupal=>

The syntax PostgreSQL uses for comments is defined here:

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/static/sql-comment.html

[Ariel Weil (aweil)]

We need to have a meeting to determine whether this is a simple addition during the Jenia timeframe or if we need to schedule it for the next release.

[Thomas Jones-Low (tjoneslo)]

Comments for columns or tables require storage in the AIS. This requires an AIS change. There are a number of AIS changes scheduled for the next release.

We could parse and ignore the comments. But full support requires the AIS change.