Re: [HACKERS] Patch for UUID datatype (beta)

On Mon, Sep 18, 2006 at 04:17:50PM -0500, Jim C. Nasby wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 18, 2006 at 12:23:16PM -0400, mark(at)mark(dot)mielke(dot)cc wrote:
> > I have UUID generation in core in my current implementation. In the
> > last year that I've been using it, I have already chosen twice to
> > generate UUIDs from my calling program. I find it faster, as it avoids
> > have to call out to PostgreSQL twice. Once to generate the UUID, and
> > once to insert the row using it. I have no strong need for UUID
> > generation to be in core, and believe there does exist strong reasons
> > not to. Performance is better when not in core. Portability of
> > PostgreSQL is better when not in core. Ability to control how UUID is
> > defined is better when not in control.
> That's kinda short-sighted. You're assuming that the only place you'll
> want to generate UUIDs is outside the database. What about a stored
> procedure that's adding data to the database? How about populating a
> table via a SELECT INTO? There's any number of cases where you'd want to
> generate a UUID inside the database.

contrib module.

> > The only thing an in-core version provides is convenience for those
> > that do not have easy access to a UUID generation library. I don't
> > care for that convenience.
> It's not about access to a library, it's about how do you get to that
> library from inside the database, which may not be very easy.
> You may not care for that convenience, but I certainly would.

Then load the contrib module. I do both. I'd happily reduce my contrib
module to be based upon a built-in UUID type within PostgreSQL, providing
the necessary UUID generation routines.

I would not use a 100% random number generator for a UUID value as was
suggested. I prefer inserting the MAC address and the time, to at
least allow me to control if a collision is possible. This is not easy
to do using a few lines of C code. I'd rather have a UUID type in core
with no generation routine, than no UUID type in core because the code
is too complicated to maintain, or not portable enough.

Cheers,
mark

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