Thread: Re: [COMMITTERS] pgsql: Add documentation for Windows on how to set an environment

Bruce Momjian wrote:
> Log Message:
> -----------
> Add documentation for Windows on how to set an environment variable. 
> Backpatch to 8.2.X.
> 
> Modified Files:
> --------------
>     pgsql/doc/src/sgml:
>         libpq.sgml (r1.224 -> r1.225)
>         (http://developer.postgresql.org/cvsweb.cgi/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/libpq.sgml.diff?r1=1.224&r2=1.225)
> 
> ---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
> TIP 2: Don't 'kill -9' the postmaster

The exact naming and placing of the buttons you click is version
dependent.  For example, if you use "Classic Folders", it's not there.
For that one, the common ground is to right-click and select properties
instead, works for both.
And the dialogs look completely different between Win2000 and XP/2003.
Luckily in this case the button is named the same, but the placement is
completely different.
I don't have a Vista around right now, but given how much else they've
changed, it wouldn't surprise me if this has also changed...

Bottom line: do we really want to document for people how to use
Windows? I don't see us documenting how to set an environment variable
in Unix... And *if* we want to do it, might it live better in the
Windows FAQ?

//Magnus

Magnus Hagander wrote:
> Bottom line: do we really want to document for people how to use
> Windows?

No, we don't.

-- 
Peter Eisentraut
http://developer.postgresql.org/~petere/

Magnus Hagander wrote:
> Bruce Momjian wrote:
> > Log Message:
> > -----------
> > Add documentation for Windows on how to set an environment variable. 
> > Backpatch to 8.2.X.
> > 
> > Modified Files:
> > --------------
> >     pgsql/doc/src/sgml:
> >         libpq.sgml (r1.224 -> r1.225)
> >         (http://developer.postgresql.org/cvsweb.cgi/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/libpq.sgml.diff?r1=1.224&r2=1.225)
> > 
> > ---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
> > TIP 2: Don't 'kill -9' the postmaster
> 
> The exact naming and placing of the buttons you click is version
> dependent.  For example, if you use "Classic Folders", it's not there.
> For that one, the common ground is to right-click and select properties
> instead, works for both.
> And the dialogs look completely different between Win2000 and XP/2003.
> Luckily in this case the button is named the same, but the placement is
> completely different.
> I don't have a Vista around right now, but given how much else they've
> changed, it wouldn't surprise me if this has also changed...

OK, text trimmed down to a hint:
 Environment variables on Windows are set as a property of <literal>My Computer</>.

> 
> Bottom line: do we really want to document for people how to use
> Windows? I don't see us documenting how to set an environment variable
> in Unix... And *if* we want to do it, might it live better in the
> Windows FAQ?

I think environment variables are used rarely enough on Win32 that we
should supply a hint.

--  Bruce Momjian   bruce@momjian.us EnterpriseDB    http://www.enterprisedb.com
 + If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +

Bruce Momjian wrote:
> OK, text trimmed down to a hint:
>
>   Environment variables on Windows are set as a property of <literal>My
>   Computer</>.
>
>   
>> Bottom line: do we really want to document for people how to use
>> Windows? I don't see us documenting how to set an environment variable
>> in Unix... And *if* we want to do it, might it live better in the
>> Windows FAQ?
>>     
>
> I think environment variables are used rarely enough on Win32 that we
> should supply a hint.
>
>   

I think every Windows administrator who is not totally clueless knows 
how to set the environment. Maybe home users don't use it much, but 
admins certainly need to know about it.

cheers

andrew

Andrew Dunstan <andrew@dunslane.net> writes:
> Bruce Momjian wrote:
>> I think environment variables are used rarely enough on Win32 that we
>> should supply a hint.

> I think every Windows administrator who is not totally clueless knows 
> how to set the environment. Maybe home users don't use it much, but 
> admins certainly need to know about it.

Another argument against it is that the libpq documentation is an
entirely random place to discuss it, as libpq is hardly the only part of
Postgres that responds to environment variables.

I liked the idea of mentioning it in the Windows FAQ, instead.
        regards, tom lane

Tom Lane wrote:
> Andrew Dunstan <andrew@dunslane.net> writes:
> > Bruce Momjian wrote:
> >> I think environment variables are used rarely enough on Win32 that we
> >> should supply a hint.
> 
> > I think every Windows administrator who is not totally clueless knows 
> > how to set the environment. Maybe home users don't use it much, but 
> > admins certainly need to know about it.
> 
> Another argument against it is that the libpq documentation is an
> entirely random place to discuss it, as libpq is hardly the only part of
> Postgres that responds to environment variables.
> 
> I liked the idea of mentioning it in the Windows FAQ, instead.

OK, sure.  Magnus.

--  Bruce Momjian   bruce@momjian.us EnterpriseDB    http://www.enterprisedb.com
 + If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +

Bruce Momjian wrote:
> Tom Lane wrote:
>> Andrew Dunstan <andrew@dunslane.net> writes:
>>> Bruce Momjian wrote:
>>>> I think environment variables are used rarely enough on Win32 that we
>>>> should supply a hint.
>>> I think every Windows administrator who is not totally clueless knows 
>>> how to set the environment. Maybe home users don't use it much, but 
>>> admins certainly need to know about it.
>> Another argument against it is that the libpq documentation is an
>> entirely random place to discuss it, as libpq is hardly the only part of
>> Postgres that responds to environment variables.
>>
>> I liked the idea of mentioning it in the Windows FAQ, instead.
> 
> OK, sure.  Magnus.
> 

I assume you mean "add it to the win32 FAQ", so I did. Will be on next
site build.

//Magnus

Magnus Hagander wrote:
> Bruce Momjian wrote:
> > Tom Lane wrote:
> >> Andrew Dunstan <andrew@dunslane.net> writes:
> >>> Bruce Momjian wrote:
> >>>> I think environment variables are used rarely enough on Win32 that we
> >>>> should supply a hint.
> >>> I think every Windows administrator who is not totally clueless knows 
> >>> how to set the environment. Maybe home users don't use it much, but 
> >>> admins certainly need to know about it.
> >> Another argument against it is that the libpq documentation is an
> >> entirely random place to discuss it, as libpq is hardly the only part of
> >> Postgres that responds to environment variables.
> >>
> >> I liked the idea of mentioning it in the Windows FAQ, instead.
> > 
> > OK, sure.  Magnus.
> > 
> 
> I assume you mean "add it to the win32 FAQ", so I did. Will be on next
> site build.

Yep, perfect, thanks.

--  Bruce Momjian   bruce@momjian.us Homepage        http://momjian.us EnterpriseDB    http://www.enterprisedb.com + If
yourlife is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +