Received: from malur.postgresql.org ([217.196.149.56])
	by arkaria.postgresql.org with esmtps
 (TLS1.3:ECDHE_RSA_AES_256_GCM_SHA384:256)
	(Exim 4.92)
	(envelope-from <pgsql-docs-owner+archive@lists.postgresql.org>)
	id 1nCXDX-0005dZ-Hu
	for pgsql-docs@arkaria.postgresql.org; Wed, 26 Jan 2022 01:35:23 +0000
Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=malur.postgresql.org)
	by malur.postgresql.org with esmtp (Exim 4.92)
	(envelope-from <pgsql-docs-owner+archive@lists.postgresql.org>)
	id 1nCXDW-00085e-0i
	for pgsql-docs@arkaria.postgresql.org; Wed, 26 Jan 2022 01:35:22 +0000
Received: from magus.postgresql.org ([2a02:c0:301:0:ffff::29])
	by malur.postgresql.org with esmtps (TLS1.3:ECDHE_RSA_AES_256_GCM_SHA384:256)
	(Exim 4.92)
	(envelope-from <bruce@momjian.us>)
	id 1nCXDV-00085U-Py
	for pgsql-docs@lists.postgresql.org; Wed, 26 Jan 2022 01:35:21 +0000
Received: from momjian.us ([72.94.173.45])
	by magus.postgresql.org with esmtps (TLS1.3:ECDHE_RSA_AES_256_GCM_SHA384:256)
	(Exim 4.92)
	(envelope-from <bruce@momjian.us>)
	id 1nCXDT-0001uq-1M
	for pgsql-docs@lists.postgresql.org; Wed, 26 Jan 2022 01:35:21 +0000
Received: from bruce by momjian.us with local (Exim 4.94.2)
	(envelope-from <bruce@momjian.us>)
	id 1nCXDO-006EAC-LP; Tue, 25 Jan 2022 20:35:14 -0500
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2022 20:35:14 -0500
From: Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us>
To: Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>
Cc: "David G. Johnston" <david.g.johnston@gmail.com>, davs2rt@gmail.com,
	Pg Docs <pgsql-docs@lists.postgresql.org>
Subject: Re: Conventions
Message-ID: <YfClUrN2gTEtvrHP@momjian.us>
References: <164308146320.12460.3590769444508751574@wrigleys.postgresql.org>
 <YfBcY1QFX038/aZ8@momjian.us>
 <CAKFQuwaqq3euLYDdZ+Uy5mdGUX-CjJ_a-8v0_tYwQwTZ60FpXQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <2352062.1643156145@sss.pgh.pa.us>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="Wy9PTLDv9et7BpXv"
Content-Disposition: inline
In-Reply-To: <2352062.1643156145@sss.pgh.pa.us>
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>
Archived-At: 
 <https://www.postgresql.org/message-id/YfClUrN2gTEtvrHP%40momjian.us>
Precedence: bulk


--Wy9PTLDv9et7BpXv
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: inline

On Tue, Jan 25, 2022 at 07:15:45PM -0500, Tom Lane wrote:
> "David G. Johnston" <david.g.johnston@gmail.com> writes:
> > There is an implied "anything else not noted here should be taken as
> > literal token to type, or a variable, as context dictates" [1] - and since
> > () isn't mentioned...
> > I'd probably rather make that implied part explicit and avoid mentioning
> > parentheses explicitly.
> 
> +1.  I mean, if we have to say this for parentheses, what about
> commas, dashes, etc?
> 
> > I would suggest moving the Tcl parenthetical to its own sentence.  The
> > percentage of readers who will notice or care about Tcl synopses is
> > probably close to zero, and they are likely to be familiar enough to not
> > need our preface to enlighten them.
> 
> Maybe time to drop the Tcl reference altogether?  I like that language,
> but I fear it's next door to dead, so it certainly doesn't need to be
> mentioned outside the pltcl docs.

How is this patch?

-- 
  Bruce Momjian  <bruce@momjian.us>        https://momjian.us
  EDB                                      https://enterprisedb.com

  If only the physical world exists, free will is an illusion.


--Wy9PTLDv9et7BpXv
Content-Type: text/x-diff; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="paren.diff"

diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/notation.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/notation.sgml
index bd1e8f629a..c0f41569cb 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/notation.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/notation.sgml
@@ -6,12 +6,13 @@
  <para>
   The following conventions are used in the synopsis of a command:
   brackets (<literal>[</literal> and <literal>]</literal>) indicate
-  optional parts.  (In the synopsis of a Tcl command, question marks
-  (<literal>?</literal>) are used instead, as is usual in Tcl.)  Braces
+  optional parts.  Braces
   (<literal>{</literal> and <literal>}</literal>) and vertical lines
   (<literal>|</literal>) indicate that you must choose one
   alternative.  Dots (<literal>...</literal>) mean that the preceding element
-  can be repeated.
+  can be repeated.  All other symbols, including parentheses, should be
+  taken literally.  (In the synopsis of a Tcl command, question marks
+  (<literal>?</literal>) are used instead of brackets.)
  </para>
 
  <para>

--Wy9PTLDv9et7BpXv--