I'm currently using emacs sql-mode as my sql shell, a (simplified) query response is below:
my_db=# select * from visit limit 4;
num | visit_key | created | expiry
----+-----------------------------+----------------------------+------------
1 | 0f6fb8603f4dfe026d88998d81a | 2008-03-02 15:17:56.899817 | 2008-03-02
2 | 7c389163ff611155f97af692426 | 2008-02-14 12:46:11.02434 | 2008-02-14
3 | 3ecba0cfb4e4e0fdd6a8be87b35 | 2008-02-14 16:33:34.797517 | 2008-02-14
4 | 89285112ef2d753bd6f5e51056f | 2008-02-21 14:37:47.368657 | 2008-02-21
(4 rows)
If I want to then formulate another query based on that data, e.g.
my_db=# select visit_key, created from visit where expiry = '2008-03-02'
and num > 10;
You'll see that I have to add the comma between visit_key
and created
, and surround the expiry value with quotes.
Is there a SQL DB shell that shows it's content more homoiconically, so that I could minimise this sort of editing? e.g.
num, visit_key, created, expiry
(1, '0f6fb8603f4dfe026d88998d81a', '2008-03-02 15:17:56.899817', '2008-03-02')
or
(num=1, visit_key='0f6fb8603f4dfe026d88998d81a',
created='2008-03-02 15:17:56.899817', expiry='2008-03-02')
I'm using postgresql btw.
Here's one idea, which is similar to what I do sometimes, though I'm not sure that it's exactly what you're asking for:
Run a Lisp compiler (like SBCL) in SLIME. Then load CLSQL. It has a "Functional Data Manipulation Language" (SELECT documentation) which might help you do something like you want, perhaps in conjunction with SLIME's autocompletion capabilities. If not, it's easy to define Lisp functions and macros (assuming you know Lisp, but you're already an Emacser!).
Out-of-the-box, it doesn't give the nicely formatted tables that most SQL interfaces have, but even that isn't too hard to add. And Lisp is certainly powerful enough to let one easily come up with ways to make your common operations easier.