Could anybody give an insight on the locale and numeric types behaviour in PostgreSQL? We work with Italian locale. That is comma separation for decimal part. Setting in postgresql.conf
# These settings are initialized by initdb, but they can be changed.
lc_messages = 'it_IT.UTF-8' # locale for system error message
# strings
lc_monetary = 'it_IT.UTF-8' # locale for monetary formatting
lc_numeric = 'it_IT.UTF-8' # locale for number formatting
lc_time = 'it_IT.UTF-8' # locale for time formatting
.. does nothing! It behaves in a quite appropriate way with dates and so, BUT the numeric type remains DOT separated for decimal part.
root@server:~# uname -a
Linux server 2.6.32-36-generic-pae #79-Ubuntu SMP Tue Nov 8 23:25:26 UTC 2011 i686 GNU/Linux
root@server:~# dpkg -l | grep postgresql
ii postgresql-8.4 8.4.9-0ubuntu0.10.04 object-relational SQL database, version 8.4
ii postgresql-client 8.4.9-0ubuntu0.10.04 front-end programs for PostgreSQL (supported)
EDIT
Having problem with implementation of locale in different scopes: db, server script, os and client side. Decided to avoid any locale formatting and use en_EN locale. The locale formatting will be applied only at the moment of output and so.
lc_numeric (string)
Sets the locale to use for formatting numbers, for example with the to_char family of functions.
Concerns these type formatting functions. You should be able to reproduce the following demo:
SHOW lc_numeric;
de_AT.UTF-8
SELECT to_number('13,4','999D99')
13.4
SELECT to_char(13.4,'FM999D99')
13,4
SET lc_numeric = 'C';
SELECT to_number('13,4','999D99')
134
SELECT to_char(13.4,'FM999D99')
13.4
RESET lc_numeric;
Template patterns in the manual.
The format of numbers in SQL expressions does not change with locale settings. That would be madness.
Aside: you have to (at least) reload the server after changing postgresql.conf.
pg_ctl reload