The following bug has been logged online:

Bug reference: 1523
Logged by: Sergio Lob
Email address: sergio_lob@iwaysoftware.com
PostgreSQL version: 8.0.1
Operating system: linux
Description: precision column value returned from getTypeInfo()
always has value 9
Details:

After calling Connection.DatabaseMetaData.getTypeInfo() method, the
PRECISION column of the ResultSet seems hardcoded to value 9, which of
course in incorrect

To repro:
1. connect to a PostgresSQL JDBC data source
2. Invoke Connection.getMetaData() on that connection to get
DatabaseMetaData object
3. Invoke DataBaseMetaData.getTypeInfo() to get ResultSet of all supported
data types
4. Invoke ResultSet.next() to get to first row
5. Invoke ResultSet.getString(3) to get PRECISION column value for current
row. Notice that no matter what row is checked in the answer set, precision
of data type is ALWAYS 9.

---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
TIP 9: the planner will ignore your desire to choose an index scan if your
joining column's datatypes do not match

(cc'ing -jdbc)

Sergio Lob wrote:

> After calling Connection.DatabaseMetaData.getTypeInfo() method, the
> PRECISION column of the ResultSet seems hardcoded to value 9, which of
> course in incorrect

Well, it's working as intended in the sense that there is no code to
support retrieving a real precision value -- it is indeed a hardcoded
placeholder value. I'm not sure why '9' off the top of my head, perhaps
making that column NULL would be better? What are the units of this
value anyway?

If you're willing to do the implementation work to improve this, then
post a patch to pgsql-jdbc and I can look at applying it.

-O

---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
TIP 9: the planner will ignore your desire to choose an index scan if your
joining column's datatypes do not match