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Re: BUG #14912: Undocumented: 'psql -l' assumes database 'postgresql'not $USER - Mailing list pgsql-bugs

From David G. Johnston
Subject Re: BUG #14912: Undocumented: 'psql -l' assumes database 'postgresql'not $USER
Date
Msg-id CAKFQuwZYLRkGH2wisFk74rSRnOt4qwM+LW8C3t+uZSr+thuTmw@mail.gmail.com
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In response to BUG #14912: Undocumented: 'psql -l' assumes database 'postgresql' not$USER  (mhwood@ameritech.net)
Responses Re: BUG #14912: Undocumented: 'psql -l' assumes database'postgresql' not $USER  (Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us>)
Re: BUG #14912: Undocumented: 'psql -l' assumes database 'postgresql'not $USER  (Peter Eisentraut <peter.eisentraut@2ndquadrant.com>)
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On Thu, Nov 16, 2017 at 10:17 AM, <mhwood@ameritech.net> wrote:
The following bug has been logged on the website:

Bug reference:      14912
Logged by:          Mark Wood
​[...]​

That is true *unless* using -l / --list.  The code shows that this option
defaults to 'postgresql' instead, overriding the libpq defaulting.

​It actually defaults to "postgres"
​
​[...]​
 
The actual behavior may be reasonable, but if so it should be documented as
an exception for the --list function.

I can see an argument for either default, but given that this invocation has never defaulted to the user's database I cannot see changing it.

I agree this should be considered a doc bug and back-patched.  Possible verbiage for master below and attached.

Changing the "Usage" section to point out this exception to the rule seems undesirable.

David J.

diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
index e520cdf3ba..ad2a505b1e 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
@@ -283,7 +283,9 @@ EOF
       <listitem>
       <para>
       List all available databases, then exit. Other non-connection
-      options are ignored. This is similar to the meta-command
+      options are ignored. If an explicit database name is not
+      found the <literal>postgres</literal> database, not the user's,
+      will be targeted for connection. This is similar to the meta-command
       <command>\list</command>.
       </para>
       </listitem>


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