Re: Re: [GENERAL] Warning: Don't delete those /tmp/.PGSQL.* files

Marko Kreen <marko(at)l-t(dot)ee> writes:
>> Well, we've talked before about moving the socket files to someplace
>> safer than /tmp. The problem is to find another place that's not
>> platform-dependent --- else you've got a major configuration headache.

> Could this be described in e.g. /etc/postgresql/pg_client.conf?

The major objection to that is that if we rely on such a config file,
then you *cannot* install postgres without root permission (to make
the config file). Currently it's possible to fire up a test postmaster
without any special privileges whatever, and that's a nice feature.

A related objection is that such a file will itself become a source of
contention among multiple postmasters. Suppose I'm setting up a test
installation of a new version, while still running the prior release
as my main database. OK, I fire up the test postmaster on a different
port, and now I want to launch some of my usual clients for testing.
Oops, they connect to the old postmaster because that's what it says
to do in /etc/postgresql/pg_client.conf. I can't get them to connect
to the new postmaster unless I change /etc/postgresql/pg_client.conf,
which I *don't* want to do at this stage --- it'll break non-test
instances of these same clients.

I see some value in the pg_client.conf idea as a *per user* address
book, to shortcut full specification of all the databases that user
might want to connect to. As a system-wide configuration file, I think
it's a terrible idea.

regards, tom lane