Re: array support patch phase 1 patch

Joe Conway writes:

> Attached is an updated version of the doc patch along with the addition
> of two new functions, as previously discussed:
>
> - str_to_array(str TEXT, delim TEXT) returns TEXT[]
> - array_to_str(array ANYARRAY, delim TEXT) returns TEXT

Please use "string". No need to introduce a new abbreviation into the
world of function names.

I'm not happy with all these nonstandard new function names being
advertised. They can serve as internal implementations of standard
operators and other constructs, but it seems pointless to publicly add
redundant and nonstandard interfaces where the standard ones work
perfectly well.

In particular, array_subscript is not needed, users should simply use the
standard subscripting mechanism. array_prepend, array_cat, array_append
should not be used; instead the standard operator || should be used.
array_accum is not needed because || plus coalesce do the same thing
standardly. singleton_array strikes me as unnecessary as well.

Also note that "multidimensional array" is the correct spelling and
preferred wording (not "multi-dimensional array" or "multi-dimesion array"
[sic] or "multiple dimension array").

--
Peter Eisentraut peter_e(at)gmx(dot)net