Re: Default data directory

Carol Walter <walterc(at)indiana(dot)edu> writes:
> I can't figure out how the Postgres that's running on the production
> web server knows where to look for its data.

Generally the location of the data directory is determined by a -D
switch on the postmaster command line, or by setting the PGDATA
environment variable in the script that launches the postmaster.

Setting it in the configuration file would be circular logic,
except in the uncommon sort of configuration where the config file
doesn't live in the data directory (in which case the -D switch
only indicates where the config files are).

regards, tom lane