Re: ALTER SYSTEM SET command to change postgresql.conf parameters (RE: Proposal for Allow postgresql.conf values to be changed via SQL [review]) - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

Alvaro Herrera <alvherre@2ndquadrant.com> writes:
> What I was proposing upthread is that enable_alter_system=off/on would
> be present in postgresql.conf, and there is no include line for
> auto.conf.  That way, if the user wishes to enable/disable the feature,
> they need to edit postgresql.conf to do so.  ALTER SYSTEM doesn't offer
> a way to disable itself.  If ALTER SYSTEM is disabled via
> enable_alter_system=off in postgresql.conf, the settings in auto.conf
> are not read.

Personally, I'd get rid of any explicit "enable_alter_system" variable,
and instead have an include directive for auto.conf.  The functionality
you describe above is then available by commenting or uncommenting the
directive, plus the user has the option to decide where to put the
directive (and thus control which settings can or can't be overridden).
Anything else seems like it's going to be less flexible or else a lot
more complicated.
        regards, tom lane