Doc: fix misleading syntax synopses for targetlists.

tglsfdc · tglsfdc · commit c7301c3b6fe2 · 2024-07-25T19:52:08.000-04:00
In the syntax synopses for SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, etc, SELECT ... and RETURNING ... targetlists were missing { ... } braces around an OR (|) operator. That allows misinterpretation which could lead to confusion. David G. Johnston, per gripe from masondeanm@aol.com. Discussion: https://postgr.es/m/172193970148.915373.2403176471224676074@wrigleys.postgresql.org
diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/delete.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/delete.sgml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ PostgreSQL documentation
 DELETE FROM [ ONLY ] <replaceable class="parameter">table_name</replaceable> [ * ] [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">alias</replaceable> ]
     [ USING <replaceable class="parameter">from_item</replaceable> [, ...] ]
     [ WHERE <replaceable class="parameter">condition</replaceable> | WHERE CURRENT OF <replaceable class="parameter">cursor_name</replaceable> ]
-    [ RETURNING * | <replaceable class="parameter">output_expression</replaceable> [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">output_name</replaceable> ] [, ...] ]
+    [ RETURNING { * | <replaceable class="parameter">output_expression</replaceable> [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">output_name</replaceable> ] } [, ...] ]
 </synopsis>
  </refsynopsisdiv>
 
diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/insert.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/insert.sgml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ INSERT INTO <replaceable class="parameter">table_name</replaceable> [ AS <replac
     [ OVERRIDING { SYSTEM | USER } VALUE ]
     { DEFAULT VALUES | VALUES ( { <replaceable class="parameter">expression</replaceable> | DEFAULT } [, ...] ) [, ...] | <replaceable class="parameter">query</replaceable> }
     [ ON CONFLICT [ <replaceable class="parameter">conflict_target</replaceable> ] <replaceable class="parameter">conflict_action</replaceable> ]
-    [ RETURNING * | <replaceable class="parameter">output_expression</replaceable> [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">output_name</replaceable> ] [, ...] ]
+    [ RETURNING { * | <replaceable class="parameter">output_expression</replaceable> [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">output_name</replaceable> ] } [, ...] ]
 
 <phrase>where <replaceable class="parameter">conflict_target</replaceable> can be one of:</phrase>
 
diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/merge.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/merge.sgml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ PostgreSQL documentation
 MERGE INTO [ ONLY ] <replaceable class="parameter">target_table_name</replaceable> [ * ] [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">target_alias</replaceable> ]
 USING <replaceable class="parameter">data_source</replaceable> ON <replaceable class="parameter">join_condition</replaceable>
 <replaceable class="parameter">when_clause</replaceable> [...]
-[ RETURNING * | <replaceable class="parameter">output_expression</replaceable> [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">output_name</replaceable> ] [, ...] ]
+[ RETURNING { * | <replaceable class="parameter">output_expression</replaceable> [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">output_name</replaceable> ] } [, ...] ]
 
 <phrase>where <replaceable class="parameter">data_source</replaceable> is:</phrase>
 
diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/select.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/select.sgml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ PostgreSQL documentation
 <synopsis>
 [ WITH [ RECURSIVE ] <replaceable class="parameter">with_query</replaceable> [, ...] ]
 SELECT [ ALL | DISTINCT [ ON ( <replaceable class="parameter">expression</replaceable> [, ...] ) ] ]
-    [ * | <replaceable class="parameter">expression</replaceable> [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">output_name</replaceable> ] [, ...] ]
+    [ { * | <replaceable class="parameter">expression</replaceable> [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">output_name</replaceable> ] } [, ...] ]
     [ FROM <replaceable class="parameter">from_item</replaceable> [, ...] ]
     [ WHERE <replaceable class="parameter">condition</replaceable> ]
     [ GROUP BY [ ALL | DISTINCT ] <replaceable class="parameter">grouping_element</replaceable> [, ...] ]
diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/select_into.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/select_into.sgml
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ PostgreSQL documentation
 <synopsis>
 [ WITH [ RECURSIVE ] <replaceable class="parameter">with_query</replaceable> [, ...] ]
 SELECT [ ALL | DISTINCT [ ON ( <replaceable class="parameter">expression</replaceable> [, ...] ) ] ]
-    * | <replaceable class="parameter">expression</replaceable> [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">output_name</replaceable> ] [, ...]
+    [ { * | <replaceable class="parameter">expression</replaceable> [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">output_name</replaceable> ] } [, ...] ]
     INTO [ TEMPORARY | TEMP | UNLOGGED ] [ TABLE ] <replaceable class="parameter">new_table</replaceable>
     [ FROM <replaceable class="parameter">from_item</replaceable> [, ...] ]
     [ WHERE <replaceable class="parameter">condition</replaceable> ]
diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/update.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/update.sgml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ UPDATE [ ONLY ] <replaceable class="parameter">table_name</replaceable> [ * ] [
         } [, ...]
     [ FROM <replaceable class="parameter">from_item</replaceable> [, ...] ]
     [ WHERE <replaceable class="parameter">condition</replaceable> | WHERE CURRENT OF <replaceable class="parameter">cursor_name</replaceable> ]
-    [ RETURNING * | <replaceable class="parameter">output_expression</replaceable> [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">output_name</replaceable> ] [, ...] ]
+    [ RETURNING { * | <replaceable class="parameter">output_expression</replaceable> [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">output_name</replaceable> ] } [, ...] ]
 </synopsis>
  </refsynopsisdiv>
 
