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Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2022 21:08:49 -0400
From: Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us>
To: frank_limpert@yahoo.com, pgsql-docs@lists.postgresql.org
Subject: Re: CREATE TABLE AS, section  IF NOT EXISTS should clarify what
 happens to the data
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On Wed, Feb  9, 2022 at 01:02:51PM +0000, PG Doc comments form wrote:
> The following documentation comment has been logged on the website:
> 
> Page: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/14/sql-createtableas.html
> Description:
> 
> If I create a table with CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS table_name AS, and the
> table exists already, I get a NOTICE instead of an ERROR.
> 
> I wanted to have it clarified explicitly that the data from the SELECT
> statement is ignored in this case.

Good point.  Attached is a documentation patch to clarify this.

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

  Indecision is a decision.  Inaction is an action.  Mark Batterson


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diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/create_table_as.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/create_table_as.sgml
index 07558ab56c..4d6a1e72d5 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/create_table_as.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/create_table_as.sgml
@@ -100,9 +100,9 @@ CREATE [ [ GLOBAL | LOCAL ] { TEMPORARY | TEMP } | UNLOGGED ] TABLE [ IF NOT EXI
     <term><literal>IF NOT EXISTS</literal></term>
     <listitem>
      <para>
-      Do not throw an error if a relation with the same name already exists.
-      A notice is issued in this case. Refer to <xref linkend="sql-createtable"/>
-      for details.
+      Do not throw an error if a relation with the same name already
+      exists; simply issue a notice and leave the table unmodified. Refer
+      to <xref linkend="sql-createtable"/> for details.
      </para>
     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>

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