Re: Divid by zero bug in float

From: Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us>
To: "Jim C(dot) Nasby" <jnasby(at)pervasive(dot)com>
Cc: pgsql-hackers(at)postgresql(dot)org
Subject: Re: Divid by zero bug in float
Date: 2006-02-22 17:40:11
Message-ID: 13354.1140630011@sss.pgh.pa.us
Views: Raw Message | Whole Thread | Download mbox | Resend email
Thread:
Lists: pgsql-hackers

"Jim C. Nasby" <jnasby(at)pervasive(dot)com> writes:
> Shouldn't this produce Infinity instead of an error?
> postgresql=# select 5::float/0::float;
> ERROR: division by zero

No, I don't think so. SQL92 6.12 <numeric value expression> quoth:

4) The dyadic arithmetic operators <plus sign>, <minus sign>, <as-
terisk>, and <solidus> (+, -, *, and /, respectively) specify
addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, respec-
tively. If the value of a divisor is zero, then an exception
condition is raised: data exception-division by zero.

There is nothing in there about allowing IEEE infinities instead, and
I very strongly doubt that the average database user would expect such
behavior.

regards, tom lane

In response to

Responses

Browse pgsql-hackers by date

  From Date Subject
Next Message Jim C. Nasby 2006-02-22 18:03:40 Re: Divid by zero bug in float
Previous Message Jim C. Nasby 2006-02-22 17:32:05 Divid by zero bug in float