Received: from malur.postgresql.org ([217.196.149.56])
	by arkaria.postgresql.org with esmtps (TLS1.2:ECDHE_RSA_AES_256_CBC_SHA1:256)
	(Exim 4.89)
	(envelope-from <pgsql-docs-owner+archive@lists.postgresql.org>)
	id 1ihz3Z-0000e4-Qa
	for pgsql-docs@arkaria.postgresql.org; Thu, 19 Dec 2019 16:53:45 +0000
Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=malur.postgresql.org)
	by malur.postgresql.org with esmtp (Exim 4.89)
	(envelope-from <pgsql-docs-owner+archive@lists.postgresql.org>)
	id 1ihz3Y-0001OZ-KQ
	for pgsql-docs@arkaria.postgresql.org; Thu, 19 Dec 2019 16:53:44 +0000
Received: from makus.postgresql.org ([2001:4800:3e1:1::229])
	by malur.postgresql.org with esmtps (TLS1.2:ECDHE_RSA_AES_256_CBC_SHA1:256)
	(Exim 4.89)
	(envelope-from <bruce@momjian.us>)
	id 1ihz3Y-0001OP-9G
	for pgsql-docs@lists.postgresql.org; Thu, 19 Dec 2019 16:53:44 +0000
Received: from momjian.us ([72.94.173.45])
	by makus.postgresql.org with esmtps (TLS1.3:ECDHE_RSA_AES_256_GCM_SHA384:256)
	(Exim 4.92)
	(envelope-from <bruce@momjian.us>)
	id 1ihz3V-0004sd-MD
	for pgsql-docs@lists.postgresql.org; Thu, 19 Dec 2019 16:53:43 +0000
Received: from bruce by momjian.us with local (Exim 4.92)
	(envelope-from <bruce@momjian.us>)
	id 1ihz3U-0007sq-1F; Thu, 19 Dec 2019 11:53:40 -0500
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 2019 11:53:40 -0500
From: Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us>
To: Pavlo Golub <pavlo.golub@gmail.com>
Cc: Laurenz Albe <laurenz.albe@cybertec.at>,
	pgsql-docs@lists.postgresql.org
Subject: Re: COPY manual is ambiguous about column list
Message-ID: <20191219165340.GP30116@momjian.us>
References: <157487729344.7213.14245726713444755296@wrigleys.postgresql.org>
 <4f3e2f301646d94ad33558e21fc77d5bf1ea1cdd.camel@cybertec.at>
 <CAMtUEpBmq3Mefkyh=RmkC4Fuqq+YtbUrr_nHnzxUwEbwm+CPfg@mail.gmail.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="pWyiEgJYm5f9v55/"
Content-Disposition: inline
In-Reply-To: 
 <CAMtUEpBmq3Mefkyh=RmkC4Fuqq+YtbUrr_nHnzxUwEbwm+CPfg@mail.gmail.com>
User-Agent: Mutt/1.10.1 (2018-07-13)
List-Id: <pgsql-docs.lists.postgresql.org>
List-Help: <https://lists.postgresql.org/manage/>
List-Subscribe: <https://lists.postgresql.org/manage/>
List-Post: <mailto:pgsql-docs@lists.postgresql.org>
List-Owner: <mailto:pgsql-docs-owner@lists.postgresql.org>
List-Archive: <https://www.postgresql.org/list/pgsql-docs>
Precedence: bulk


--pWyiEgJYm5f9v55/
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: inline

On Thu, Nov 28, 2019 at 02:53:03PM +0100, Pavlo Golub wrote:
> On Thu, 28 Nov 2019 at 10:47, Laurenz Albe <laurenz.albe@cybertec.at> wrote:
> >
> > On Wed, 2019-11-27 at 17:54 +0000, PG Doc comments form wrote:
> > > "If a list of columns is specified, COPY will only copy the data in the
> > > specified columns to or from the file. If there are any columns in the table
> > > that are not in the column list, COPY FROM will insert the default values
> > > for those columns."
> > >
> > > I clearly see "to or from" file here. But if one tries to COPY FROM filename
> > > with more columns than list specified, the process fails:
> >
> > I think you misunderstood the documentation.
> 
> Yeap, I did. Even two of us. Laetitia was helping me :)
> 
> >
> > Nowhere in that sentence is the documentation talking about columns in
> > the file, only columns in the table.
> >
> > But if you got it wrong, maybe a clarification would be a good idea.
> 
> I think it better to have more details to avoid confusion.

How is the attached patch?

-- 
  Bruce Momjian  <bruce@momjian.us>        http://momjian.us
  EnterpriseDB                             http://enterprisedb.com

+ As you are, so once was I.  As I am, so you will be. +
+                      Ancient Roman grave inscription +

--pWyiEgJYm5f9v55/
Content-Type: text/x-diff; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="copy.diff"

diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/copy.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/copy.sgml
new file mode 100644
index d9b7c4d..475d40c
*** a/doc/src/sgml/ref/copy.sgml
--- b/doc/src/sgml/ref/copy.sgml
*************** COPY { <replaceable class="parameter">ta
*** 63,71 ****
    <para>
     If a list of columns is specified, <command>COPY</command> will
     only copy the data in the specified columns to or from the file.
!    If there are any columns in the table that are not in the column list,
!    <command>COPY FROM</command> will insert the default values for
!    those columns.
    </para>
  
    <para>
--- 63,72 ----
    <para>
     If a list of columns is specified, <command>COPY</command> will
     only copy the data in the specified columns to or from the file.
!    In <command>COPY FROM</command>, the number of columns specified
!    must match the number of fields in the file;  any table columns not
!    specified in the <command>COPY FROM</command> column list will insert
!    their default values.
    </para>
  
    <para>

--pWyiEgJYm5f9v55/--