Allow 'help' in psql to show \? help, for novice assistance.

Greg Sabino Mullane

Author: bmomjian

src/bin/psql/help.c

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  *
  * Copyright (c) 2000-2008, PostgreSQL Global Development Group
  *
- * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/bin/psql/help.c,v 1.124 2008/03/29 19:40:12 tgl Exp $
+ * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/bin/psql/help.c,v 1.125 2008/04/04 17:42:43 momjian Exp $
  */
 #include "postgres_fe.h"
 
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ slashUsage(unsigned short int pager)
 			ON(pset.timing));
 	fprintf(output, _("  \\unset NAME    unset (delete) internal variable\n"));
 	fprintf(output, _("  \\! [COMMAND]   execute command in shell or start interactive shell\n"));
+	fprintf(output, _("  \\?             display this help output\n"));
 	fprintf(output, "\n");
 
 	fprintf(output, _("Query Buffer\n"));

src/bin/psql/mainloop.c

@@ -3,14 +3,15 @@
  *
  * Copyright (c) 2000-2008, PostgreSQL Global Development Group
  *
- * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c,v 1.87 2008/01/01 19:45:56 momjian Exp $
+ * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c,v 1.88 2008/04/04 17:42:43 momjian Exp $
  */
 #include "postgres_fe.h"
 #include "mainloop.h"
 
 
 #include "command.h"
 #include "common.h"
+#include "help.h"
 #include "input.h"
 #include "settings.h"
 
@@ -171,6 +172,16 @@ MainLoop(FILE *source)
 			continue;
 		}
 
+		/* A request for help? Be friendly and show them the slash way of doing things */
+		if (pset.cur_cmd_interactive && query_buf->len == 0 &&
+			pg_strncasecmp(line, "help", 4) == 0 &&
+			(line[4] == '\0' || line[4] == ';' || isspace(line[4])))
+		{
+			free(line);
+			slashUsage(pset.popt.topt.pager);
+			continue;
+		}
+
 		/* echo back if flag is set */
 		if (pset.echo == PSQL_ECHO_ALL && !pset.cur_cmd_interactive)
 			puts(line);