Re: ALTER SYSTEM SET command to change postgresql.conf parameters (RE: Proposal for Allow postgresql.conf values to be changed via SQL [review])

From: Martijn van Oosterhout <kleptog(at)svana(dot)org>
To: Stephen Frost <sfrost(at)snowman(dot)net>
Cc: Alvaro Herrera <alvherre(at)2ndquadrant(dot)com>, Amit Kapila <amit(dot)kapila16(at)gmail(dot)com>, Robert Haas <robertmhaas(at)gmail(dot)com>, Dimitri Fontaine <dimitri(at)2ndquadrant(dot)fr>, Andres Freund <andres(at)2ndquadrant(dot)com>, Josh Berkus <josh(at)agliodbs(dot)com>, Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us>, Fujii Masao <masao(dot)fujii(at)gmail(dot)com>, "pgsql-hackers(at)postgresql(dot)org" <pgsql-hackers(at)postgresql(dot)org>
Subject: Re: ALTER SYSTEM SET command to change postgresql.conf parameters (RE: Proposal for Allow postgresql.conf values to be changed via SQL [review])
Date: 2013-08-20 19:41:01
Message-ID: 20130820194101.GA13886@svana.org
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On Tue, Aug 20, 2013 at 11:23:06AM -0400, Stephen Frost wrote:
> > What I was proposing upthread is that enable_alter_system=off/on would
> > be present in postgresql.conf, and there is no include line for
> > auto.conf.
>
> I really think that's a terrible approach, to be honest. I want to see
> an 'include' line in postgresql.conf for auto.conf, so the hapless
> sysadmin who is trying to figure out what the crazy DBA did has some
> clue what to look for. "enable_alter_system" doesn't tell him diddly
> about an 'auto.conf' file which is included in the system config.

ISTM you want some kind of hybrid setting like:

#include_system auto.conf

which simultaneously does three things:

1. Sets the enable_alter_system flag
2. Indicates the file to use
3. Indicates the priority of the setting re other settings.

Comment it out, ALTER SYSTEM stop working. Put it back and it's
immediately clear what it means. And the user can control where the
settings go.

Syntax is a bit fugly though.

Have a nice day,
--
Martijn van Oosterhout <kleptog(at)svana(dot)org> http://svana.org/kleptog/
> He who writes carelessly confesses thereby at the very outset that he does
> not attach much importance to his own thoughts.
-- Arthur Schopenhauer

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