Re: pg_restore a dump in -Fd format?

On Thu, May 3, 2018 at 9:36 AM, Ron <ronljohnsonjr(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote:

> Since "pg_dump -Fd" needs a "--file" option to say where to put the dump
> directory, it seemed reasonable that "pg_restore -Fd" would need a --file
> to know where the dump directory is.
>

​It is a reasonable assumption - but when it failed the definition for
--file in the pg_restore docs explains that is doesn't work that way.

Its too late to change it now even if its not particularly intuitive. And
the complaint is not directory specific either - though for pg_dump you
don't have the option of redirecting stdout like you do with a file output.

I could see a patch for pg_dump --file option (and maybe pg_restore) covering
this non-symmetry being accepted, should one be put forth, but it doesn't
come up particularly often and it errors out quickly.

On the code front I could see pg_restore being a bit more helpful if it
sees "--file", and stdin is empty, that the resultant error hints to the
user that maybe they mis-used the --file option.

David J.