Marc Mamin <M.Mamin@xxxxxxxxxxxx> writes: >> The * might be a bit tricky, though, >> since 'select *;' doesn't work. > That's the point. * has no meaning without FROM PG regards "count(*)" as a weird spelling of "count()", ie, invoke an aggregate that takes no arguments. It really doesn't have anything to do with the meaning of "*" as a SELECT-list item, any more than it does with the meaning of "*" as multiplication, say. It's just syntax that's written like that because the SQL standard says we have to. Another way of making the point is that SELECT without a FROM list can be seen as implicitly selecting from a dummy table with one row and no columns. Some other systems such as Oracle make you do that explicitly, ie the infamous "FROM dual" hack; there's nothing in the SQL standard saying you can omit FROM. If you suppose that that's the underlying model then the result of "select count(*)" is completely natural. regards, tom lane -- Sent via pgsql-general mailing list (pgsql-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx) To make changes to your subscription: http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-general
