doc: Updates for RETURNING OLD/NEW.

deanrasheed · deanrasheed · commit 3ba9639e39ed · 2025-06-26T10:13:00.000+01:00
Fix a couple of sentences in the documentation that were missed in commit 80feb72. Author: Dean Rasheed <dean.a.rasheed@gmail.com> Reviewed-by: Robert Treat <rob@xzilla.net> Discussion: https://postgr.es/m/CAEZATCUcqADJuapZSjPf2b6hFJ6AGOUwefRvh8Ht3UZoqqw69Q@mail.gmail.com
diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/merge.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/merge.sgml
@@ -106,10 +106,11 @@ MERGE INTO [ ONLY ] <replaceable class="parameter">target_table_name</replaceabl
    to compute and return value(s) based on each row inserted, updated, or
    deleted.  Any expression using the source or target table's columns, or
    the <link linkend="merge-action"><function>merge_action()</function></link>
-   function can be computed.  When an <command>INSERT</command> or
+   function can be computed.  By default, when an <command>INSERT</command> or
    <command>UPDATE</command> action is performed, the new values of the target
-   table's columns are used.  When a <command>DELETE</command> is performed,
-   the old values of the target table's columns are used.  The syntax of the
+   table's columns are used, and when a <command>DELETE</command> is performed,
+   the old values of the target table's columns are used, but it is also
+   possible to explicitly request old and new values.  The syntax of the
    <literal>RETURNING</literal> list is identical to that of the output list
    of <command>SELECT</command>.
   </para>
diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/update.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/update.sgml
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ UPDATE [ ONLY ] <replaceable class="parameter">table_name</replaceable> [ * ] [
    to compute and return value(s) based on each row actually updated.
    Any expression using the table's columns, and/or columns of other
    tables mentioned in <literal>FROM</literal>, can be computed.
-   The new (post-update) values of the table's columns are used.
+   By default, the new (post-update) values of the table's columns are used,
+   but it is also possible to request the old (pre-update) values.
    The syntax of the <literal>RETURNING</literal> list is identical to that of the
    output list of <command>SELECT</command>.
   </para>
