Index: doc/src/sgml/runtime.sgml
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/runtime.sgml,v
retrieving revision 1.301.4.7
diff -c -c -r1.301.4.7 runtime.sgml
*** doc/src/sgml/runtime.sgml	17 Jun 2005 16:46:45 -0000	1.301.4.7
--- doc/src/sgml/runtime.sgml	26 Jun 2005 03:19:52 -0000
***************
*** 3767,3772 ****
--- 3767,3803 ----
        </listitem>
       </varlistentry>
  
+      <varlistentry id="guc-escape-string-syntax" xreflabel="escape_string_syntax">
+       <term><varname>escape_string_syntax</varname> (<type>boolean</type>)</term>
+       <indexterm><primary>strings</><secondary>escape</></>
+       <indexterm>
+        <primary><varname>escape_string_syntax</> configuration parameter</primary>
+       </indexterm>
+       <listitem>
+        <para>
+         Reports whether escape string syntax (<literal>E''</>) is
+         supported. This variable is used by applications that need to
+         determine if escape string syntax can be used in their code.
+        </para>
+       </listitem>
+      </varlistentry>
+ 
+      <varlistentry id="guc-sql-standard-strings" xreflabel="standard_compliant_strings">
+       <term><varname>standard_compliant_strings</varname> (<type>boolean</type>)</term>
+       <indexterm><primary>strings</><secondary>escape</></>
+       <indexterm>
+        <primary><varname>standard_compliant_strings</> configuration parameter</primary>
+       </indexterm>
+       <listitem>
+        <para>
+         Reports whether ordinary, non-escape syntax strings
+         (<literal>''</>) treat backslashes literally, as specified in
+         the SQL standard. This variable is used by applications that
+         need to know how ordinary strings are processed`.
+        </para>
+       </listitem>
+      </varlistentry>
+ 
      </variablelist>
     </sect2>
  
Index: doc/src/sgml/syntax.sgml
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/syntax.sgml,v
retrieving revision 1.99
diff -c -c -r1.99 syntax.sgml
*** doc/src/sgml/syntax.sgml	23 Dec 2004 05:37:40 -0000	1.99
--- doc/src/sgml/syntax.sgml	26 Jun 2005 03:19:53 -0000
***************
*** 247,255 ****
       write two adjacent single quotes, e.g.
       <literal>'Dianne''s horse'</literal>.
       <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> also allows single quotes
!      to be escaped with a backslash (<literal>\</literal>), so for
!      example the same string could be written
!      <literal>'Dianne\'s horse'</literal>.
      </para>
  
      <para>
--- 247,256 ----
       write two adjacent single quotes, e.g.
       <literal>'Dianne''s horse'</literal>.
       <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> also allows single quotes
!      to be escaped with a backslash (<literal>\'</literal>).  However,
!      future versions of <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> will not
!      support this so applications using this should convert to the 
!      standard-compliant method outlined above.
      </para>
  
      <para>
***************
*** 267,272 ****
--- 268,287 ----
       string constant, write two backslashes.
      </para>
  
+     <note>
+     <para>
+      While ordinary strings now support C-style backslash escapes,
+      future versions will generate warnings for such usage and
+      eventually treat backslashes as literal characters to be
+      standard-compliant. The proper way to specify escape processing is
+      to use the escape string syntax to indicate that escape
+      processing is desired. Escape string syntax is specified by placing
+      the the letter <literal>E</literal> (upper or lower case) before
+      the string, e.g. <literal>E'\041'</>. This method will work in all
+      future versions of <productname>PostgreSQL</productname>.
+     </para>
+     </note>
+ 
      <para>
       The character with the code zero cannot be in a string constant.
      </para>
Index: src/backend/parser/scan.l
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/backend/parser/scan.l,v
retrieving revision 1.119
diff -c -c -r1.119 scan.l
*** src/backend/parser/scan.l	31 Dec 2004 22:00:27 -0000	1.119
--- src/backend/parser/scan.l	26 Jun 2005 03:19:54 -0000
***************
*** 167,173 ****
   * xqcat allows strings to cross input lines
   */
  quote			'
! xqstart			{quote}
  xqstop			{quote}
  xqdouble		{quote}{quote}
  xqinside		[^\\']+
--- 167,173 ----
   * xqcat allows strings to cross input lines
   */
  quote			'
! xqstart			[eE]?{quote}
  xqstop			{quote}
  xqdouble		{quote}{quote}
  xqinside		[^\\']+
Index: src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c,v
retrieving revision 1.252.4.1
diff -c -c -r1.252.4.1 guc.c
*** src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c	25 Mar 2005 16:17:38 -0000	1.252.4.1
--- src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c	26 Jun 2005 03:19:57 -0000
***************
*** 185,190 ****
--- 185,192 ----
  static int	max_identifier_length;
  static int	block_size;
  static bool integer_datetimes;
+ static bool	escape_string_syntax;
+ static bool	standard_compliant_strings;
  
  /* should be static, but commands/variable.c needs to get at it */
  char	   *session_authorization_string;
***************
*** 851,856 ****
--- 853,878 ----
  #endif
  	},
  
+ 	{
+ 		{"escape_string_syntax", PGC_INTERNAL, PRESET_OPTIONS,
+ 			gettext_noop("Escape string syntax (E'') is supported."),
+ 			NULL,
+ 			GUC_REPORT | GUC_NOT_IN_SAMPLE | GUC_DISALLOW_IN_FILE
+ 		},
+ 		&escape_string_syntax,
+ 		true, NULL, NULL
+ 	},
+ 
+ 	{
+ 		{"standard_compliant_strings", PGC_INTERNAL, PRESET_OPTIONS,
+ 			gettext_noop("'' strings treat backslashes literally."),
+ 			NULL,
+ 			GUC_REPORT | GUC_NOT_IN_SAMPLE | GUC_DISALLOW_IN_FILE
+ 		},
+ 		&standard_compliant_strings,
+ 		false, NULL, NULL
+ 	},
+ 
  	/* End-of-list marker */
  	{
  		{NULL, 0, 0, NULL, NULL}, NULL, false, NULL, NULL