Re: psql: default base and password reading - Mailing list pgsql-patches

Peter Eisentraut <peter_e@gmx.net> writes:
> Might as well use getpass() if available.  My man page says "A getpass
> function appeared in Version 7 AT&T UNIX.", so it should be available on
> most systems.

Hmm.  HPUX's man page for getpass says:

STANDARDS CONFORMANCE
     getpass(): AES, SVID2, SVID3, XPG2, XPG3, XPG4

However, it also says:

     getpass() reads up to a newline or EOF from the file /dev/tty, after
     prompting on the standard error output with the null-terminated string
     prompt and disabling echoing.  A pointer is returned to a null-
     terminated string of at most 8 characters.  If /dev/tty cannot be
     opened, a NULL pointer is returned.

The 8-char limit is alone sufficient to disqualify it for use in psql.

            regards, tom lane