Re: Overhauling GUCS

Gregory Stark wrote:
> So all you have is our existing file except with an additional layer of
> quoting to deal with, a useless SET keyword to annoy users, and a file that
> you need a bison parser 
Don't you think that's a little over the top, throwing bison at the 
simple task to extend postgresql.conf scanning so it accepts --, /**/ 
and SET?

> to deal instead of a simple keyword-value syntax that
> sed can manipulate.
>
>   
sed seems to be THE killer application... Apart from the fact that sed 
easily could identify SET, my answer would be to use psql to modify the 
config, not sed.

Text config files are NOT friendly for beginner and mediocre users. IMHO 
the current restriction on GUC changes is a major obstacle towards pgsql 
tuning tools, e.g. written as a Google SoC project. Graphic tools aren't 
too popular at pgsql-hackers, but please contemplate a little how much 
pgadmin may have contributed to the pgsql usage boost, esp. on windows.

Regards,
Andreas