Fix use of cursor sensitivity terminology

Documentation and comments in code and tests have been using the terms
sensitive/insensitive cursor incorrectly relative to the SQL standard.
(Cursor sensitivity is only relevant for changes made in the same
transaction as the cursor, not for concurrent changes in other
sessions.)  Moreover, some of the behavior of PostgreSQL is incorrect
according to the SQL standard, confusing the issue further.  (WHERE
CURRENT OF changes are not visible in insensitive cursors, but they
should be.)

This change corrects the terminology and removes the claim that
sensitive cursors are supported.  It also adds a test case that checks
the insensitive behavior in a "correct" way, using a change command
not using WHERE CURRENT OF.  Finally, it adds the ASENSITIVE cursor
option to select the default asensitive behavior, per SQL standard.

There are no changes to cursor behavior in this patch.

Discussion: https://www.postgresql.org/message-id/flat/96ee8b30-9889-9e1b-b053-90e10c050e85%40enterprisedb.com

Author: petere

doc/src/sgml/ecpg.sgml

@@ -6792,8 +6792,8 @@ EXEC SQL DEALLOCATE DESCRIPTOR mydesc;
 
    <refsynopsisdiv>
 <synopsis>
-DECLARE <replaceable class="parameter">cursor_name</replaceable> [ BINARY ] [ INSENSITIVE ] [ [ NO ] SCROLL ] CURSOR [ { WITH | WITHOUT } HOLD ] FOR <replaceable class="parameter">prepared_name</replaceable>
-DECLARE <replaceable class="parameter">cursor_name</replaceable> [ BINARY ] [ INSENSITIVE ] [ [ NO ] SCROLL ] CURSOR [ { WITH | WITHOUT } HOLD ] FOR <replaceable class="parameter">query</replaceable>
+DECLARE <replaceable class="parameter">cursor_name</replaceable> [ BINARY ] [ ASENSITIVE | INSENSITIVE ] [ [ NO ] SCROLL ] CURSOR [ { WITH | WITHOUT } HOLD ] FOR <replaceable class="parameter">prepared_name</replaceable>
+DECLARE <replaceable class="parameter">cursor_name</replaceable> [ BINARY ] [ ASENSITIVE | INSENSITIVE ] [ [ NO ] SCROLL ] CURSOR [ { WITH | WITHOUT } HOLD ] FOR <replaceable class="parameter">query</replaceable>
 </synopsis>
    </refsynopsisdiv>
 

doc/src/sgml/ref/declare.sgml

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ PostgreSQL documentation
 
  <refsynopsisdiv>
 <synopsis>
-DECLARE <replaceable class="parameter">name</replaceable> [ BINARY ] [ INSENSITIVE ] [ [ NO ] SCROLL ]
+DECLARE <replaceable class="parameter">name</replaceable> [ BINARY ] [ ASENSITIVE | INSENSITIVE ] [ [ NO ] SCROLL ]
     CURSOR [ { WITH | WITHOUT } HOLD ] FOR <replaceable class="parameter">query</replaceable>
 </synopsis>
  </refsynopsisdiv>
@@ -75,14 +75,25 @@ DECLARE <replaceable class="parameter">name</replaceable> [ BINARY ] [ INSENSITI
    </varlistentry>
 
    <varlistentry>
+    <term><literal>ASENSITIVE</literal></term>
     <term><literal>INSENSITIVE</literal></term>
     <listitem>
      <para>
-      Indicates that data retrieved from the cursor should be
-      unaffected by updates to the table(s) underlying the cursor that occur
-      after the cursor is created.  In <productname>PostgreSQL</productname>,
-      this is the default behavior; so this key word has no
-      effect and is only accepted for compatibility with the SQL standard.
+      Cursor sensitivity determines whether changes to the data underlying the
+      cursor, done in the same transaction, after the cursor has been
+      declared, are visible in the cursor.  <literal>INSENSITIVE</literal>
+      means they are not visible, <literal>ASENSITIVE</literal> means the
+      behavior is implementation-dependent.  A third behavior,
+      <literal>SENSITIVE</literal>, meaning that such changes are visible in
+      the cursor, is not available in <productname>PostgreSQL</productname>.
+      In <productname>PostgreSQL</productname>, all cursors are insensitive;
+      so these key words have no effect and are only accepted for
+      compatibility with the SQL standard.
+     </para>
+
+     <para>
+      Specifying <literal>INSENSITIVE</literal> together with <literal>FOR
+      UPDATE</literal> or <literal>FOR SHARE</literal> is an error.
      </para>
     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
@@ -133,7 +144,7 @@ DECLARE <replaceable class="parameter">name</replaceable> [ BINARY ] [ INSENSITI
   </variablelist>
 
   <para>
-   The key words <literal>BINARY</literal>,
+   The key words <literal>ASENSITIVE</literal>, <literal>BINARY</literal>,
    <literal>INSENSITIVE</literal>, and <literal>SCROLL</literal> can
    appear in any order.
   </para>
@@ -246,10 +257,7 @@ DECLARE <replaceable class="parameter">name</replaceable> [ BINARY ] [ INSENSITI
     fetched, in the same way as for a regular
     <link linkend="sql-select"><command>SELECT</command></link> command with
     these options.
-    In addition, the returned rows will be the most up-to-date versions;
-    therefore these options provide the equivalent of what the SQL standard
-    calls a <quote>sensitive cursor</quote>.  (Specifying <literal>INSENSITIVE</literal>
-    together with <literal>FOR UPDATE</literal> or <literal>FOR SHARE</literal> is an error.)
+    In addition, the returned rows will be the most up-to-date versions.
    </para>
 
    <caution>
@@ -278,7 +286,7 @@ DECLARE <replaceable class="parameter">name</replaceable> [ BINARY ] [ INSENSITI
     <para>
      The main reason not to use <literal>FOR UPDATE</literal> with <literal>WHERE
      CURRENT OF</literal> is if you need the cursor to be scrollable, or to be
-     insensitive to the subsequent updates (that is, continue to show the old
+     isolated from concurrent updates (that is, continue to show the old
      data).  If this is a requirement, pay close heed to the caveats shown
      above.
     </para>
@@ -318,20 +326,21 @@ DECLARE liahona CURSOR FOR SELECT * FROM films;
  <refsect1>
   <title>Compatibility</title>
 
-  <para>
-   The SQL standard says that it is implementation-dependent whether cursors
-   are sensitive to concurrent updates of the underlying data by default.  In
-   <productname>PostgreSQL</productname>, cursors are insensitive by default,
-   and can be made sensitive by specifying <literal>FOR UPDATE</literal>.  Other
-   products may work differently.
-  </para>
-
   <para>
    The SQL standard allows cursors only in embedded
    <acronym>SQL</acronym> and in modules. <productname>PostgreSQL</productname>
    permits cursors to be used interactively.
   </para>
 
+  <para>
+   According to the SQL standard, changes made to insensitive cursors by
+   <literal>UPDATE ... WHERE CURRENT OF</literal> and <literal>DELETE
+   ... WHERE CURRENT OF</literal> statements are visibible in that same
+   cursor.  <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> treats these statements like
+   all other data changing statements in that they are not visible in
+   insensitive cursors.
+  </para>
+
   <para>
    Binary cursors are a <productname>PostgreSQL</productname>
    extension.

src/backend/catalog/sql_features.txt

@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ T211	Basic trigger capability	07	TRIGGER privilege	YES
 T211	Basic trigger capability	08	Multiple triggers for the same event are executed in the order in which they were created in the catalog	NO	intentionally omitted
 T212	Enhanced trigger capability			YES	
 T213	INSTEAD OF triggers			YES	
-T231	Sensitive cursors			YES	
+T231	Sensitive cursors			NO	
 T241	START TRANSACTION statement			YES	
 T251	SET TRANSACTION statement: LOCAL option			NO	
 T261	Chained transactions			YES	

src/backend/parser/analyze.c

@@ -2681,14 +2681,21 @@ transformDeclareCursorStmt(ParseState *pstate, DeclareCursorStmt *stmt)
 	Query	   *result;
 	Query	   *query;
 
-	/*
-	 * Don't allow both SCROLL and NO SCROLL to be specified
-	 */
 	if ((stmt->options & CURSOR_OPT_SCROLL) &&
 		(stmt->options & CURSOR_OPT_NO_SCROLL))
 		ereport(ERROR,
 				(errcode(ERRCODE_INVALID_CURSOR_DEFINITION),
-				 errmsg("cannot specify both SCROLL and NO SCROLL")));
+				 /* translator: %s is a SQL keyword */
+				 errmsg("cannot specify both %s and %s",
+						"SCROLL", "NO SCROLL")));
+
+	if ((stmt->options & CURSOR_OPT_ASENSITIVE) &&
+		(stmt->options & CURSOR_OPT_INSENSITIVE))
+		ereport(ERROR,
+				(errcode(ERRCODE_INVALID_CURSOR_DEFINITION),
+				 /* translator: %s is a SQL keyword */
+				 errmsg("cannot specify both %s and %s",
+						"ASENSITIVE", "INSENSITIVE")));
 
 	/* Transform contained query, not allowing SELECT INTO */
 	query = transformStmt(pstate, stmt->query);
@@ -2734,10 +2741,10 @@ transformDeclareCursorStmt(ParseState *pstate, DeclareCursorStmt *stmt)
 	/* FOR UPDATE and INSENSITIVE are not compatible */
 	if (query->rowMarks != NIL && (stmt->options & CURSOR_OPT_INSENSITIVE))
 		ereport(ERROR,
-				(errcode(ERRCODE_FEATURE_NOT_SUPPORTED),
+				(errcode(ERRCODE_INVALID_CURSOR_DEFINITION),
 		/*------
 		  translator: %s is a SQL row locking clause such as FOR UPDATE */
-				 errmsg("DECLARE INSENSITIVE CURSOR ... %s is not supported",
+				 errmsg("DECLARE INSENSITIVE CURSOR ... %s is not valid",
 						LCS_asString(((RowMarkClause *)
 									  linitial(query->rowMarks))->strength)),
 				 errdetail("Insensitive cursors must be READ ONLY.")));

src/backend/parser/gram.y

@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ static Node *makeRecursiveViewSelect(char *relname, List *aliases, Node *query);
 /* ordinary key words in alphabetical order */
 %token <keyword> ABORT_P ABSOLUTE_P ACCESS ACTION ADD_P ADMIN AFTER
 	AGGREGATE ALL ALSO ALTER ALWAYS ANALYSE ANALYZE AND ANY ARRAY AS ASC
-	ASSERTION ASSIGNMENT ASYMMETRIC AT ATTACH ATTRIBUTE AUTHORIZATION
+	ASENSITIVE ASSERTION ASSIGNMENT ASYMMETRIC AT ATTACH ATTRIBUTE AUTHORIZATION
 
 	BACKWARD BEFORE BEGIN_P BETWEEN BIGINT BINARY BIT
 	BOOLEAN_P BOTH BREADTH BY
@@ -11217,6 +11217,7 @@ cursor_options: /*EMPTY*/					{ $$ = 0; }
 			| cursor_options NO SCROLL		{ $$ = $1 | CURSOR_OPT_NO_SCROLL; }
 			| cursor_options SCROLL			{ $$ = $1 | CURSOR_OPT_SCROLL; }
 			| cursor_options BINARY			{ $$ = $1 | CURSOR_OPT_BINARY; }
+			| cursor_options ASENSITIVE		{ $$ = $1 | CURSOR_OPT_ASENSITIVE; }
 			| cursor_options INSENSITIVE	{ $$ = $1 | CURSOR_OPT_INSENSITIVE; }
 		;
 
@@ -15424,6 +15425,7 @@ unreserved_keyword:
 			| ALSO
 			| ALTER
 			| ALWAYS
+			| ASENSITIVE
 			| ASSERTION
 			| ASSIGNMENT
 			| AT
@@ -15931,6 +15933,7 @@ bare_label_keyword:
 			| AND
 			| ANY
 			| ASC
+			| ASENSITIVE
 			| ASSERTION
 			| ASSIGNMENT
 			| ASYMMETRIC

src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c

@@ -3052,7 +3052,7 @@ psql_completion(const char *text, int start, int end)
 	 * SCROLL, and CURSOR.
 	 */
 	else if (Matches("DECLARE", MatchAny))
-		COMPLETE_WITH("BINARY", "INSENSITIVE", "SCROLL", "NO SCROLL",
+		COMPLETE_WITH("BINARY", "ASENSITIVE", "INSENSITIVE", "SCROLL", "NO SCROLL",
 					  "CURSOR");
 
 	/*

src/include/nodes/parsenodes.h

@@ -2774,7 +2774,8 @@ typedef struct SecLabelStmt
 #define CURSOR_OPT_SCROLL		0x0002	/* SCROLL explicitly given */
 #define CURSOR_OPT_NO_SCROLL	0x0004	/* NO SCROLL explicitly given */
 #define CURSOR_OPT_INSENSITIVE	0x0008	/* INSENSITIVE */
-#define CURSOR_OPT_HOLD			0x0010	/* WITH HOLD */
+#define CURSOR_OPT_ASENSITIVE	0x0010	/* ASENSITIVE */
+#define CURSOR_OPT_HOLD			0x0020	/* WITH HOLD */
 /* these planner-control flags do not correspond to any SQL grammar: */
 #define CURSOR_OPT_FAST_PLAN	0x0100	/* prefer fast-start plan */
 #define CURSOR_OPT_GENERIC_PLAN 0x0200	/* force use of generic plan */

src/include/parser/kwlist.h

@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ PG_KEYWORD("any", ANY, RESERVED_KEYWORD, BARE_LABEL)
 PG_KEYWORD("array", ARRAY, RESERVED_KEYWORD, AS_LABEL)
 PG_KEYWORD("as", AS, RESERVED_KEYWORD, AS_LABEL)
 PG_KEYWORD("asc", ASC, RESERVED_KEYWORD, BARE_LABEL)
+PG_KEYWORD("asensitive", ASENSITIVE, UNRESERVED_KEYWORD, BARE_LABEL)
 PG_KEYWORD("assertion", ASSERTION, UNRESERVED_KEYWORD, BARE_LABEL)
 PG_KEYWORD("assignment", ASSIGNMENT, UNRESERVED_KEYWORD, BARE_LABEL)
 PG_KEYWORD("asymmetric", ASYMMETRIC, RESERVED_KEYWORD, BARE_LABEL)

src/test/regress/expected/portals.out

@@ -1094,7 +1094,7 @@ SELECT * FROM uctest;
   8 | one
 (1 row)
 
---- sensitive cursors can't currently scroll back, so this is an error:
+--- FOR UPDATE cursors can't currently scroll back, so this is an error:
 FETCH RELATIVE 0 FROM c1;
 ERROR:  cursor can only scan forward
 HINT:  Declare it with SCROLL option to enable backward scan.
@@ -1106,6 +1106,41 @@ SELECT * FROM uctest;
   8 | one
 (2 rows)
 
+-- Check insensitive cursor with INSERT
+-- (The above tests don't test the SQL notion of an insensitive cursor
+-- correctly, because per SQL standard, changes from WHERE CURRENT OF
+-- commands should be visible in the cursor.  So here we make the
+-- changes with a command that is independent of the cursor.)
+BEGIN;
+DECLARE c1 INSENSITIVE CURSOR FOR SELECT * FROM uctest;
+INSERT INTO uctest VALUES (10, 'ten');
+FETCH NEXT FROM c1;
+ f1 |  f2   
+----+-------
+  3 | three
+(1 row)
+
+FETCH NEXT FROM c1;
+ f1 | f2  
+----+-----
+  8 | one
+(1 row)
+
+FETCH NEXT FROM c1;  -- insert not visible
+ f1 | f2 
+----+----
+(0 rows)
+
+COMMIT;
+SELECT * FROM uctest;
+ f1 |  f2   
+----+-------
+  3 | three
+  8 | one
+ 10 | ten
+(3 rows)
+
+DELETE FROM uctest WHERE f1 = 10;  -- restore test table state
 -- Check inheritance cases
 CREATE TEMP TABLE ucchild () inherits (uctest);
 INSERT INTO ucchild values(100, 'hundred');

src/test/regress/sql/portals.sql

@@ -382,11 +382,26 @@ DELETE FROM uctest WHERE CURRENT OF c1; -- no-op
 SELECT * FROM uctest;
 UPDATE uctest SET f1 = f1 + 10 WHERE CURRENT OF c1; -- no-op
 SELECT * FROM uctest;
---- sensitive cursors can't currently scroll back, so this is an error:
+--- FOR UPDATE cursors can't currently scroll back, so this is an error:
 FETCH RELATIVE 0 FROM c1;
 ROLLBACK;
 SELECT * FROM uctest;
 
+-- Check insensitive cursor with INSERT
+-- (The above tests don't test the SQL notion of an insensitive cursor
+-- correctly, because per SQL standard, changes from WHERE CURRENT OF
+-- commands should be visible in the cursor.  So here we make the
+-- changes with a command that is independent of the cursor.)
+BEGIN;
+DECLARE c1 INSENSITIVE CURSOR FOR SELECT * FROM uctest;
+INSERT INTO uctest VALUES (10, 'ten');
+FETCH NEXT FROM c1;
+FETCH NEXT FROM c1;
+FETCH NEXT FROM c1;  -- insert not visible
+COMMIT;
+SELECT * FROM uctest;
+DELETE FROM uctest WHERE f1 = 10;  -- restore test table state
+
 -- Check inheritance cases
 CREATE TEMP TABLE ucchild () inherits (uctest);
 INSERT INTO ucchild values(100, 'hundred');