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-$PostgreSQL: pgsql/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml,v 1.191 2004/03/05 02:41:14 momjian Exp $
+$PostgreSQL: pgsql/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml,v 1.192 2004/03/07 01:01:44 neilc Exp $
PostgreSQL documentation
-->
<literal><replaceable>expression</replaceable> = NULL</literal>
because <literal>NULL</> is not <quote>equal to</quote>
<literal>NULL</>. (The null value represents an unknown value,
- and it is not known whether two unknown values are equal.)
+ and it is not known whether two unknown values are equal.) This
+ behavior conforms to the SQL standard.
</para>
<para>
- Some applications may (incorrectly) require that
+ Some applications may expect that
<literal><replaceable>expression</replaceable> = NULL</literal>
returns true if <replaceable>expression</replaceable> evaluates to
- the null value. To support these applications, the run-time option
- <varname>transform_null_equals</varname> can be turned on (e.g.,
- <literal>SET transform_null_equals TO ON;</literal>).
- <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> will then convert
- <literal>x = NULL</literal> clauses to
- <literal>x IS NULL</literal>. This was
- the default behavior in releases 6.5 through 7.1.
+ the null value. It is highly recommended that these applications
+ be modified to comply with the SQL standard. However, if that
+ cannot be done the <varname>transform_null_equals</varname>
+ configuration variable is available. If it is enabled,
+ <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> will convert <literal>x =
+ NULL</literal> clauses to <literal>x IS NULL</literal>. This was
+ the default behavior in <productname>PostgreSQL</productname>
+ releases 6.5 through 7.1.
</para>
<para>