Why can't I see my table (PostgreSQL) when I use \dt(+) inside psql?

I have created the table donor in the schema reference as per:

CREATE TABLE reference.donor (
    donor_code smallint PRIMARY KEY,
    donor_name character varying NOT NULL,
    donor_type smallint REFERENCES reference.donor_type (type_id),
    alpha_2_code char(2) REFERENCES reference.iso_3166_1 (alpha_2_code)
);

I have populated the table as per:

INSERT INTO reference.donor (donor_code, donor_name, donor_type, alpha_2_code)
SELECT donor_code, donor_name, donor_type, alpha_2_code
FROM reference.donor_template;

When I run:

\dt+ reference.*

inside psql I see the reference.donor table:

List of relations
  Schema   |      Name      | Type  |  Owner   | Size  | Description 
-----------+----------------+-------+----------+-------+-------------
 reference | donor          | table | postgres | 16 kB | 
 reference | donor_template | table | postgres | 16 kB | 
 reference | donor_type     | table | postgres | 16 kB | 
 reference | iso_3166_1     | table | postgres | 48 kB | 
(4 rows)

But when I run \dt+ donor* (or \dt(+)) I don't see the reference.donor table:

List of relations
  Schema   |      Name      | Type  |  Owner   | Size  | Description 
-----------+----------------+-------+----------+-------+-------------
 oecd_cl   | donor          | table | postgres | 16 kB | 
 reference | donor_template | table | postgres | 16 kB | 
 reference | donor_type     | table | postgres | 16 kB | 
(3 rows)

Why can I only see the reference.donor table if I run \dt+ reference. or \dt+ .donor?

I was expecting \dt (or \dt+) to display it, but it does not.

My search_path includes the schema reference & the user postgres has all permissions on the schema reference and all tables in the schema as per:

GRANT ALL ON ALL TABLES IN SCHEMA reference TO postgres;

Just to clarify, I have two donor tables, but they are in two different schemas i.e., oecd.donor & reference.donor. (I can see oecd.donor

The documentation on psql explains:


Whenever the pattern parameter is omitted completely, the \d commands
display all objects that are visible in the current schema search path
— this is equivalent to using * as the pattern. (An object is said to
be visible if its containing schema is in the search path and no
object of the same kind and name appears earlier in the search path.
This is equivalent to the statement that the object can be referenced
by name without explicit schema qualification.) To see all objects in
the database regardless of visibility, use . as the pattern.

Bold emphasis mine.

Obviously, you have oecd_cl before reference in your search path. Use this for your purpose:

\dt *.donor*

And you'll get:

List of relations
  Schema   |      Name      | Type  |  Owner   | Size  | Description 
-----------+----------------+-------+----------+-------+-------------
 oecd_cl   | donor          | table | postgres | 16 kB | 
 reference | donor          | table | postgres | 16 kB | 
 reference | donor_template | table | postgres | 16 kB | 
 reference | donor_type     | table | postgres | 16 kB | 
(4 rows)

StackExchange Database Administrators Q#110550, answer score: 14