astronomy-commons/hats-tap

ADQL translator support of `SELECT *`

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#22 opened on Dec 2, 2025

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Description

Feature request

At present, the ADQL translator rejects queries that SELECT * because it's not clear whether the * should be the default columns or all columns. But the query is common enough that we may want to make one of these choices and support it.

If * means default columns, how does the user request all columns?

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  • I have described the purpose of the suggested change, specifying what I need the enhancement to accomplish, i.e. what problem it solves.
  • I have included any relevant links, screenshots, environment information, and data relevant to implementing the requested feature, as well as pseudocode for how I want to access the new functionality.
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Contributor guide

Research direction
Review the ADQL grammar and the current translator to understand how `SELECT *` is rejected. Determine whether `*` should expand to default columns or all columns. Consider adding a configuration option or a heuristic to decide. Look at other TAP implementations for reference. Implement the chosen behavior and update tests.
Tech stack
python
Domain
backendapi
Issue type
Feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
PythonADQLSQL
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
70