Re: psql --help=variables lists variables that can't be set

2015-12-04 4:08 GMT+01:00 Peter Eisentraut <peter_e(at)gmx(dot)net>:

> psql --help=variables shows variables treated specially by psql. And it
> tells you
>
> Usage:
> psql --set=NAME=VALUE
> or \set NAME VALUE
>
> But some of the variables listed cannot usefully be set, only read, such as
>
> DBNAME the currently connected database name
> HOST the currently connected database server
> LASTOID the value of last affected OID
>
> These can be read in a script, but there is nothing useful you can do
> with them on the command line.
>
> Also, for variables such as HISTCONTROL, IGNOREEOF, PROMPT*, they are
> more commonly set in psqlrc, not on the command line.
>
> Should we trim this list down to variables that are actually useful to
> set on the command line?
>

we can reduce this list if we use command line help. For interactive help
\h variables it should to show all.

Regards

Pavel

>
> I also have some concerns about the listed environment variables. The
> list of libpq PG* variables is incomplete, and if we're going to curate
> the list, we surely don't need to show the "not recommended" PGPASSWORD
> variable.
>

+1

>
> That list probably also needs some ifdefs, since SHELL and TMPDIR don't
> work on Windows, and PSQL_HISTORY only works when readline support is
> built.
>

+1

>
>
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