Re: Pgsql config file

"Leif B. Kristensen" <leif(at)solumslekt(dot)org> writes:
> There's one thing I've been wondering about: Why isn't the postgresql
> config file in /etc, with all the rest?

Because (a) that would mean you couldn't run Postgres without root
privileges (to set up the config files), and (b) you couldn't run more
than one postmaster on a system. Both of these ideas are complete
nonstarters as far as the developers are concerned, even though they
might be reasonable things as far as the average user is concerned
(at least until he wants to run two different PG versions while testing
an upgrade).

As of PG 8.0 it is possible to keep all the hand-edited config files
anyplace you please, so if keeping them under /etc appeals to you,
you can do it. But it's unlikely to ever become the default.
For details see
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.0/static/runtime-config.html#RUNTIME-CONFIG-FILE-LOCATIONS

regards, tom lane