Re: location of the configuration files - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

Stephan Szabo wrote:<br /><blockquote cite="mid20030213084631.C45593-100000@megazone23.bigpanda.com" type="cite"><pre
wrap="">OnThu, 13 Feb 2003, mlw wrote:
 
 </pre><blockquote type="cite"><pre wrap="">
Robert Treat wrote:
   </pre><blockquote type="cite"><pre wrap="">On Thu, 2003-02-13 at 09:23, mlw wrote:

     </pre><blockquote type="cite"><pre wrap="">I deal with a number of PG databases on a number of sites, and it is a
real pain in the ass to get to a PG box and hunt around for data
directory so as to be able to administer the system. What's really
annoying is when you have to find the data directory when someone else
set up the system.       </pre></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><pre wrap="">
You realize that the actual code feature doesn't necessarily help this
case, right? Putting configuration in /etc and having a configuration file
option on the command line are separate concepts.

I think the feature is worthwhile, but I have some initial condition
functionality questions that may have been answered in the previous patch,
but I don't remember at this point.

Mostly these have to deal with initial creation.  Does the user specify an
output location to initdb, do they just specify a data dir as now where
the configuration goes but then they need to move it somewhere, does
initdb now do nothing relating to configuration file and the user should
make one on his own.  Related, is the admin expected to have already made
(say) /etc/postgresql to stick the config in and set the permissions
correctly (since initdb doesn't run as root)?</pre></blockquote> My patch only works on the PostgreSQL server code. No
changeshave been made to the initialization scripts.<br /><br /> The patch declares three extra configuration file
parameters:<br/> hbafile= '/etc/postgres/pg_hba.conf'<br /> identfile='/etc/postgres/pg_ident.conf'<br />
datadir='/RAID0/postgres'<br/><br /> The command line option is a capital 'C,' as in:<br /> postmaster -C
/etc/postgresql.conf<br/><br /> I have no problem leaving the default configuration files remaining in the data
directoryas sort of a maintenance / boot strap sort of thing, so I don't see any reason to alter the installation.<br
/><br/><br /> As for this feature helping or not, I think it will. I think it accomplishes two things:<br /> (1)
Separatesconfiguration from data.<br /> (2) Allows an administrator to create a convention across multiple systems
regardlessof the location and mount points of the database storage.<br /> (3) Lastly, it is a familiar methodology to
DBAsnot familiar with PostgreSQL.<br /><br /> Again, I don't see a valid reason for not including the patch. Yes, if
youdon't want to configure PostgreSQL that way, then so be it, but why not add the functionality for those who do?<br
/><br/> I can envision the configuration file methodology of managing a database becoming the "preferred" approach over
timeas it is a more familiar and standard way of configuring servers on UNIX.<br /><br /><br /><blockquote
cite="mid20030213084631.C45593-100000@megazone23.bigpanda.com"type="cite"><pre wrap=""> </pre></blockquote>