MySQL Bugs: #47299: Increasing a size for COLUMN_COMMENT (INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS.COLUMN

Bug #47299	Increasing a size for COLUMN_COMMENT (INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS.COLUMN_COMMENT)
Submitted:	14 Sep 2009 8:13	Modified:	3 Nov 2009 7:30
Reporter:	Kapil Bedarkar (OCA)	Email Updates:
Status:	Verified	Impact on me:	None
Category:	MySQL Server: Information schema	Severity:	S4 (Feature request)
Version:	5.4.1+	OS:	Any
Assigned to:		CPU Architecture:	Any
Tags:	COLUMN_COMMENT, columns, Contribution, information_schema

Description:
It would be nice if the size of COLUMN_COMMENT field is sizable.
The COLUMN_COMMENT can be utilized for some programmabality. Like associating some XML with a field.

This can be implemented in two ways.
1. Hardcoded - the size of this field is controlled with single define. like common header file. And it can be an option to make file.
   (I see changing the column size in file /sql/sql_show.cc has no practical effect, except `desc information_schema.columns` to show edited size.)

2. Configuring on fly - by introducing mysqld params or mysql variable in my.cfg file.

This may not be considered as important unless many people are looking forward for this one.

How to repeat:
This is a feature request.

Thank you for the feature request. Maybe we should just make this column bigger, TEXT one...

Sorry, the previously suggested possible fixes don't look much relevant to me now.

But, I am able to get rid of my problem after editing these lines - giving patch below.

I didn't performed any heuristic testing for this change, neither have any idea of backward compatibility. But few of the normal operations was working (CREATE, SELECT, ALTER)

This may not be the advisable code change.
The TEXT datatype for COLUMN_COMMENT suggested by Valeriy is looks better option to implement.

Patch:
http://forge.mysql.com/tools/tool.php?id=230

Kapil

Hello Kapil
In order for us to continue the process of reviewing your contribution
to MySQL - We need
you to review and sign the Sun|MySQL contributor agreement (the "SCA")

The process is explained here: 
http://forge.mysql.com/wiki/Sun_Contributor_Agreement

Getting a signed/approved SCA on file will help us facilitate your
contribution-- this
one, and others in the future.

Thank you !

Hi,

I have sent a scanned copy of SCA.

Regards,
Kapil