Re: HOST variable in psql

=?utf-8?Q?Paul_F=C3=B6rster?= <paul(dot)foerster(at)gmail(dot)com> writes:
>> On 27. Apr, 2020, at 14:20, Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us> wrote:
>> AFAICS, psql is behaving as documented. Why are you trying to override
>> HOST like that, instead of just using some other variable?

> I could but

> a) HOST is HOST and should not point to a socket directory. A socket directory is not a HOST. This makes no sense, especially since I see no use for using a socket directory in any psql script. There are tons of use cases for the hostname, though.

[ shrug... ] When connecting via a Unix socket, psql does not have a
relevant "hostname" to report, so it reports what it's got. You are
ascribing a meaning to HOST that it does not have, never has had, and
never can have in this case.

> c) the docs are IMHO not 100% clear on this. I think the psqlrc should be executed on EVERY new connect, hence including \c, and this is how I interpret the docs too. But it doesn't...

There has been some talk of providing a way to execute stuff on reconnect,
if memory serves, but nothing's been done about it.

regards, tom lane