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<varlistentry>

<term><literal>\edit</literal> (or <literal>\e</literal>) <literal><optional> <replaceable class="parameter">filename</replaceable> </optional></literal></term>

<term><literal>\edit</> (or <literal>\e</>) <literal><optional> <replaceable class="parameter">filename</> </optional> <optional> <replaceable class="parameter">line_number</> </optional></literal></term>

<listitem>

<para>

If <replaceable class="parameter">filename</replaceable> is

specified, the file is edited; after the editor exits, its

content is copied back to the query buffer. If no argument is

given, the current query buffer is copied to a temporary file

which is then edited in the same fashion.

content is copied back to the query buffer. If no <replaceable

class="parameter">filename</replaceable> is given, the current query

buffer is copied to a temporary file which is then edited in the same

fashion.

</para>

<para>

The new query buffer is then re-parsed according to the normal

rules of <application>psql</application>, where the whole buffer

is treated as a single line. (Thus you cannot make scripts this

way. Use <command>\i</command> for that.) This means also that

if the query ends with (or rather contains) a semicolon, it is

immediately executed. In other cases it will merely wait in the

query buffer.

way. Use <command>\i</command> for that.) This means that

if the query ends with (or contains) a semicolon, it is

immediately executed. Otherwise it will merely wait in the

query buffer; type semicolon or <literal>\g</> to send it, or

<literal>\r</> to cancel.

</para>

<tip>

<para>

<application>psql</application>searches the environment

<application>psql</application>checks the environment

variables <envar>PSQL_EDITOR</envar>, <envar>EDITOR</envar>, and

<envar>VISUAL</envar> (in that order) for an editor to use. If

all of them are unset, <filename>vi</filename> is used on Unix

systems, <filename>notepad.exe</filename> on Windows systems.

</para>

</tip>

<para>

If a line number is specified, <application>psql</application> will

position the cursor on the specified line of the file or query buffer.

This feature requires the <varname>EDITOR_LINENUMBER_SWITCH</varname>

variable to be set, so that <application>psql</application> knows how

to specify the line number to the editor. Note that if a single

all-digits argument is given, <application>psql</application> assumes

it is a line number not a file name.

</para>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>

<term><literal>\ef <optional> <replaceable class="parameter">function_description</replaceable> </optional></literal></term>

<term><literal>\ef <optional> <replaceable class="parameter">function_description</> <optional> <replaceable class="parameter">line_number</> </optional> </optional></literal></term>

<listitem>

<para>

This command fetches and edits the definition of the named function,

in the form of a <command>CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION</> command.

Editing is done in the same way as for <literal>\e</>.

Editing is done in the same way as for <literal>\edit</>.

After the editor exits, the updated command waits in the query buffer;

type semicolon or <literal>\g</> to send it, or <literal>\r</>

to cancel.

If no function is specified, a blank <command>CREATE FUNCTION</>

template is presented for editing.

</para>

<para>

If a line number is specified, <application>psql</application> will

position the cursor on the specified line of the function body

(note that the function body typically does not begin on the

first line of the file).

This feature requires the <varname>EDITOR_LINENUMBER_SWITCH</varname>

variable to be set, so that <application>psql</application> knows how

to specify the line number to the editor.

</para>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>

<term><varname>EDITOR_LINENUMBER_SWITCH</varname></term>

<listitem>

<para>

When <command>\edit</command> or <command>\ef</command> is used with a

line number argument, this variable specifies the command-line switch

used to pass the line number to the user's editor. For editors such

as <productname>emacs</> or <productname>vi</>, you can simply set

this variable to a plus sign. Include a trailing space in the value

of the variable if there needs to be space between the switch name and

the line number.

Examples:

<programlisting>

\set EDITOR_LINENUMBER_SWITCH +

\set EDITOR_LINENUMBER_SWITCH '--line '

</programlisting>

</para>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>

<term><varname>ENCODING</varname></term>

<listitem>

pg_get_functiondef(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)