Re: [HACKERS] pg_service.conf

I have added the attached pg_service.conf documentation to CVS HEAD and
8.1.X.

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Mark Woodward wrote:
> > On Fri, Feb 03, 2006 at 08:05:48AM -0500, Mark Woodward wrote:
> >> Like I said, in this thread of posts, yes there are ways of doing this,
> >> and I've been doing it for years. It is just one of the rough eges that
> >> I
> >> think could be smoother.
> >>
> >> (in php)
> >> pg_connect("dbname=geo host=dbserver");
> >>
> >> Could connect and query the dbserver, if the db is not on it, connect to
> >> a
> >> database of known servers, find geo, and use that information to
> >> connect.
> >> It sounds like a simple thing, for sure, but to be useful, there needs
> >> to
> >> be buy in from the group otherwise it is just some esoteric hack.
> >
> > It turns out what you like actually exists, lookup the "service"
> > parameter in the connectdb string. It will read the values for the
> > server, port, etc from a pg_service.conf file.
> >
> > There is an example in the tree but it looks something like the following:
> >
> > [servicename]
> > dbname=blah
> > user=blah
> > pass=blah
> >
> > So all you need to specify is "service=servicename" and it will grab
> > the parameters. This allows you to change the connection without
> > changeing the code.
> >
>
> This is a great feature!!
>
> It doesn't seem to be documented in the administrators guide. Its
> mentioned in the libpq section, and only a reference to
> pg_service.conf.sample
>
> IMHO we should push for this to be the mainstream connection
> methodology!!! The variables: host, port, and dbname are very problematic
> for admins and developers who often live in different worlds.
>
> The developers "should" just use the "servicename" of a database, and the
> admins should maintain pg_service.conf. This moves the responsibility of
> the wheres and hows of connecting to the database to the admin away from
> the developer.
>
> Should there be a section of the administration manual for this?
>
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--
Bruce Momjian http://candle.pha.pa.us
SRA OSS, Inc. http://www.sraoss.com

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