Re: configuration files and PGDATA variable

mlw <markw@mohawksoft.com> writes:
> Think of this:
> su pgsql -c "postmaster -C /etc/pgsql/mydb1.conf"

> From this, postmaster can find all its settings in the config
> file. That way you don't have to mess with startup scripts,
> environment variables, or anything it just comes from the
> configuration file.

This is largely possible now, with the exception of locale
environment variables (not sure that we should ignore those) and
database-path environment variables (an ugly hack whose days are
numbered anyway).  However, we spell the thing slightly differently:

> su pgsql -c "postmaster -D /path/to/data/dir"

and expect to find the config files therein.

> Right now it is to hard to run two
> different versions/instances of postgresql on the same machine.

Au contraire, it's easy; I do it all the time.  (I've got 7.0, 7.1,
and 7.2 postmasters alive right now on this machine.)  Moving the
config files out of the data directory would make it harder, IMHO.

> I know this isn't of great concern to this group, but one of the things that
> PostgreSQL does that kind of bugs me, is that it keeps its configuration and
> data in the same place.

Some of us think that's a feature, not a bug.  I realize that it's open
to argument; but you'd better give practical arguments, not just assert
that it's the wrong approach.
        regards, tom lane