-<!-- $PostgreSQL: pgsql/doc/src/sgml/release.sgml,v 1.538 2007/11/15 17:09:40 momjian Exp $ -->
+<!-- $PostgreSQL: pgsql/doc/src/sgml/release.sgml,v 1.539 2007/11/15 20:10:32 momjian Exp $ -->
<!--
Typical markup:
<listitem>
<para>
- Queries that previously automatically cast values to
- <type>TEXT</type> might now need explicit casts (Peter, Tom)
+ Non-character values are no longer automatically cast to
+ <type>TEXT</> (Peter, Tom)
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ Previously, a function or operator that took a <type>TEXT</>
+ parameter used to automatically cast a non-<type>TEXT</> value to
+ <type>TEXT</> and call the function or operator (assuming there was
+ no other matching function or operator). That no longer happens
+ and an explicit cast to <type>TEXT</> is now required. For example,
+ these expressions now throw an error:
+
+<programlisting>
+substr(current_date, 1, 1);
+23 LIKE '%2%'
+5.4 ~ '6';
+</programlisting>
+
+ but these work because of the explicit casts:
+
+<programlisting>
+substr(current_date::text, 1, 1);
+23::text LIKE '%2%
+5.4::text ~ '6';
+</programlisting>
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ <type>CHAR</> and <type>VARCHAR</> still cast to <type>TEXT</>
+ automatically. Concatenation (<literal>||</>) with non-<type>TEXT</>
+ types is still automatically cast, assuming one of the parameters
+ is textual. While this change will require additional casts for
+ some queries, it also eliminates some unusual behavior.
</para>
<para>
- Data types other than <type>CHAR</> and <type>VARCHAR</> no
- longer automatically cast to <type>TEXT</>, except in the
- limited case of concatenation (<literal>||</>) where the other
- input is textual. While this change will require additional
- casts for some queries it also eliminates some unusual
- behavior.
</para>
</listitem>
</para>
<para>
- This features was previously in <filename>contrib/tsearch2</>. It
- has been improved, moved into the server, and is now installed by
- default. <filename>contrib/tsearch2</> now contains a compatibility
- interface.
+ Text search has been improved, moved into the server, and is now
+ installed by default. <filename>contrib/tsearch2</> now contains
+ a compatibility interface.
</para>
</listitem>