Introduction

[Mark A. Taff]

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<font size=2 color=black
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Arial'>I am interested in helping to develop pgAdmin.

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<font size=2 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
Arial'>By way of e-introduction, my name is Mark Taff.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">� I am a web and database developer
living near Seattle, Washington, USA.

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<font size=2 color=black
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Arial'>There are a number of features/improvements to pgAdmin I would like to
see (and am willing to work on!), but I don&#8217;t want to waste my time, so I
thought it best to run them by you guys and get your feedback before I do
anything. �I don&#8217;t want to be
working at cross-purposes with the other developers.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes">� So, in no particular order&#8230;

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 <span
     class=EmailStyle15><span
     style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
     treeview should automatically show newly created objects if other objects
     of the same type are currently displayed.<span style="mso-spacerun:
     yes">� The user should never have to `refresh below selection`
     unless they are in a multi-author environment, and even then it may make
     sense to periodically (during low cpu use) check the server for objects we
     aren&#8217;t aware of.
 <span
     class=EmailStyle15><span
     style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>I
     would like to see the treeview root item be `servers`, which would have
     sub nodes for different servers.�
     I work in a multi-server environment, and it would be nice to be
     able to work with objects on multiple servers at the same time. <span
     style="mso-spacerun: yes">�This would open up the possibility
     of easily `copying` objects from one server to another.
 <span
     class=EmailStyle15><span
     style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
     re-engineered SQL code is nice, but it has limited usefulness.<span
     style="mso-spacerun: yes">� I do most of my work using the
     execute sql window because in good coding tradition, I like to leave lots
     of comments about just what the heck is going on.<span
     style="mso-spacerun: yes">� This is most important for
     functions (and function-like objects).<span style="mso-spacerun:
     yes">� I also like to save the SQL for each object as both an
     individual .sql file and as part of a global class and object-type class
     files.� This modular approach
     allows me to pick and choose objects to quickly build a new database.<span
     style="mso-spacerun: yes">� To implement such a creature, I
     would suggest an SQL IDE so to speak, much like the VBA editor used in
     Office applications.� Part of
     this is also the desired ability to right-click an object in the tree and
     to be able to edit _my_ sql
     code (with comments) rather than re-engineered SQL code.<span
     style="mso-spacerun: yes">� I am keenly interested in making
     this a reality.
 <span
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     style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>I
     would like to see a query designer with features like the one in MS SQL
     Server 2000.� This requires
     the graphical relationship plugin to be finished first, as it would have
     to be an optional pane. �The
     actual interface isn&#8217;t really important.<span style="mso-spacerun:
     yes">� What I find important is having relationships, objects
     and their properties, an sql pane, and a results pane all in one place.<span
     style="mso-spacerun: yes">� Probably the only way to make that
     happen is with a full-size form in addition to the main form.
 <span
     class=EmailStyle15><span
     style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Dependencies,
     dependencies, dependencies!�
     On of my favorite features of SQL Server is that it tells me when I
     am trying to delete an object that other objects depend on.<span
     style="mso-spacerun: yes">� I realize that PostgreSQL doesn&#8217;t
     track such dependencies, but that doesn&#8217;t mean we can&#8217;t.<span
     style="mso-spacerun: yes">� We could create a series of PostgreSQL
     triggers/rules that would create/update a dependencies table on object
     creation/deletion.� We would
     then query this relation prior to dropping an object.<span
     style="mso-spacerun: yes">� This is probably the cleanest
     approach.� This shouldn&#8217;t be
     too hard to implement, as PostgreSQL is kind enough to store object
     information in selectable tables (hence triggerable, I think).<span
     style="mso-spacerun: yes">� As this would be making some
     serious system changes to the server, we should get user permission before
     creating these rules and triggers on the server, IMO.
 <span
     class=EmailStyle15><span
     style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
     log window needs to have a close button to allow it to be closed. <span
     style="mso-spacerun: yes">�If you are silly, as I am
     sometimes, you set the log window to always on top positioned in the
     center of the screen space.�
     The next time you open pgAdmin, you can&#8217;t do anything because the
     tips form is modal and hidden beneath the log window.<span
     style="mso-spacerun: yes">� I have to call myself silly, then
     use task manager to forcibly kill pgAdmin, then edit the registry to
     change the log window options.


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<font size=2 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
Arial'>Those are the items I would like to see implemented/fixed/improved.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes">� I would greatly appreciate your
feedback on whether these items fit in with the development path you see for
pgAdmin, as well as any other comments you may have.

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<font size=2 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
Arial'>Thanks for your consideration.

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<font size=2 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
Arial'>Regards,

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<font size=2 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
Arial'>Mark Taff

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