Re: Re: Proposal for Allow postgresql.conf values to be changed via SQL [review]

Josh Berkus <josh@agliodbs.com>

From: Josh Berkus <josh@agliodbs.com>
To: pgsql-hackers@postgresql.org
Date: 2013-03-11T17:52:12Z
Lists: pgsql-hackers
> I agree with you if SET PERSISTENT reloads only postgresql.auto.conf.
> But in current conf reload mechanism, other configuration files like
> pg_hba.conf are also reloaded when pg_read_conf() is executed. Probably
> I don't like this behavior. Users might get surprised that the configuration
> changes by their manual operation (by not SET PERSISTENT) are also
> activated by SET PERSISTENT.

I'm not sure I see this as a problem if it's well-documented.  Basically
you're saying that if a user does:

1. make some changes to pg_hba.conf
2. make some changes via SET PERSISTENT
3. pg_hba.conf changes will be automatically loaded

It's a little surprising for some users, but if the behavior is
well-documented, then I really don't see it as a problem.  Consider the
parallel of this:

1. make some changes to postgresql.conf
2. make some changes via SET PERSISTENT
3. manual pg.conf changes are automatically loaded

I don't see this path as a problem ... in fact, I kind of think that as
many users will expect the above as be surprised by it.

-- 
Josh Berkus
PostgreSQL Experts Inc.
http://pgexperts.com