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

On Tue, Aug 27, 2013 at 09:04:00AM +0530, Amit Kapila wrote:
> > For my part, I'd honestly rather have the first things found be what's
> > picked and later things be ignored. If you want it controlled by ALTER
> > SYSTEM, then don't set it in postgresql.conf. The problem with that is
> > there's no "bootstrap" mechanism without actually modifying such configs
> > or making the configs be in auto.conf to begin with, neither of which is
> > ideal, imv.
> >
> > I really hate the idea that someone could configure 'X' in
> > postgresql.conf and because the auto.conf line is later in the file,
> > it's able to override the original setting. Does not strike me as
> > intuitive at all.
>
> This is currently how include mechanism works in postgresql.conf,
> changing that for this special case can be costly and moreover the
> specs for this patch were layout from beginning that way.

Agreed. If you are worried about ALTER SYSTEM changing postgresql.conf
settings, you should move the include_auto line to the top of
postgresql.conf, but I don't think that should be the default.

--
Bruce Momjian <bruce(at)momjian(dot)us> http://momjian.us
EnterpriseDB http://enterprisedb.com

+ It's impossible for everything to be true. +