This is premature of course. The columns of the current PRAGMA function_list() report do not form a practical key for functions. Additional columns arg_count and is_aggregate would be needed join PRAGMA function_list() with a function description table.
Suggestion: As an example of both testing the new zipfile facility and introspection, SQLite core built-in descriptions could be published as a zip file which joins properly with a newly sufficient PRAGMA function_list(). So, now the more precisely relevant question is: Is adding arg_count and is_aggregate columns to PRAGMA function_list() on the roadmap? With that change alone, at least extension implementors would have a way to publish PRAGMA interactive function argument descriptions. Richard? On Fri, Jan 12, 2018 at 8:47 AM, petern <peter.nichvolo...@gmail.com> wrote: > Ryan. The core and sqlite3_create_function...() needn't be burdened at > all except to store some very basic description strings as a compile time > option. > > PRAGMA function_list() cold gather descriptions on the fly by: > > 1. Spinning through the list of registered %_function_description(F,N) > functions for each row, or > > 2. Spinning through a list of library module exports, say > sqlite3_<module>_function_description(F,N). > > Modules implementing either interface could do so trivially with if > statements or with a binary search of hand sorted description array. > > This enhancement is feasible, easy to implement, and would help > tremendously to see exactly how to call any function from the command line. > > My question mainly was to find out if the idea was considered and if it is > on the roadmap along with the SQLITE_INTROSPECTION_PRAGMAS change. > > Peter > > > On Thu, Jan 11, 2018 at 2:31 PM, R Smith <ryansmit...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> >> On 2018/01/11 8:11 PM, petern wrote: >> >>> With SQLITE_INTROSPECTION_PRAGMAS turned on, is a function description on >>> the roadmap? >>> It would be very helpful to expose a short description of function >>> arguments. >>> >>> Implementation suggestion: a new trailing argument "description" on >>> sqlite3_create_function() or sqlite3_create_function_v2() >>> and corresponding description column in the PRAGMA function_list report. >>> >> >> Well, I like the idea. >> >> For one, it would allow an easy to read updated description for those of >> us who maintain SQLite management tools and connectors... but accessing the >> web is more or less equally simple, though a direct api would be nice too. >> Maybe this would better serve add-on libraries and UDFs since those >> function descriptions are not typically available on the web, and certainly >> not on the standard sqlite site. >> >> The only con I'm seeing is the extra disk/memory footprint for what is >> essentially comments and can (especially for the standard functions) be >> found easily at: https://sqlite.org/lang_corefunc.html >> >> Perhaps there is another benefit I'm not yet seeing that would better >> merit paying said resource cost - if so, I'm eager to hear it. >> >> Cheers, >> Ryan >> >> _______________________________________________ >> sqlite-users mailing list >> sqlite-users@mailinglists.sqlite.org >> http://mailinglists.sqlite.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sqlite-users >> > > _______________________________________________ sqlite-users mailing list sqlite-users@mailinglists.sqlite.org http://mailinglists.sqlite.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sqlite-users
