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I get a little confused some times when working with psql between when to use a set vs. \set vs. \pset. I think that:
set is for session variables on my connection to the db. For example SET ROLE dba;\set is for local variables for this psql session. For example \set time 'select current_timestamp'
\pset is for psql settings for this psql session. For example '\pset border 2'
But, I've never found what I thought was a good explanation of each. Are my assumptions above correct?
I'm using PostgreSQL 9.4
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\gset is a new meta-command since psql 9.3. If you have an older version, it's much harder to emulate this. Description from the manpage: \gset [ prefix ] Sends the current query input buffer to the server and stores the query's output into psql variables (see Variables).
You may access the database from a programming language, through a GUI application that allows access and administration, or through the command-line interface.
real or float8 is a 4-byte floating-point number. numeric or numeric(p,s) is a real number with p digits with s number after the decimal point. The numeric(p,s) is the exact number.
Basically correct. The important difference is that SET is an SQL command while the other two are psql meta-commands - indicated by the leading \.
SET is an SQL command to change run-time parameters. It is executed on the server and has nothing to do with psql per se.
\set is a psql meta-command:
Sets the psql variable name to value [...]
Note: This command is unrelated to the SQL command
SET.
\pset is another psql meta-command:
This command sets options affecting the output of query result tables
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