Thread

1. psql --no-connect option

   Gurjeet Singh <gurjeet@singh.im> — 2023-08-24T19:55:30Z

   Currently, psql exits if a database connection is not established when
   psql is launched.
   
   Sometimes it may be useful to launch psql without connecting to the
   database. For example, a user may choose to start psql and then pipe
   commands via stdin, one of which may eventually perform the \connect
   command. Or the user may be interested in performing operations that
   psql can perform, like setting variables etc., before optionally
   initiating a connection.
   
   The attached patch introduces the --no-connect option, which allows
   psql to continue operation in absence of connection options.
   
   This patch is nowhere close to finished, but I'm posting it here to
   gauge interest in the feature. For example, this patch results in an
   undesirable output (0.0 server version), as seen below.
   
   $ psql --no-connect
   psql (17devel, server 0.0.0)
   WARNING: psql major version 17, server major version 0.0.
            Some psql features might not work.
   Type "help" for help.
   
   !?>
   
   The patch needs many improvements, like not expecting to inherit
   connection options from a previous connection, etc., but mostly in
   identifying the conflicting options; an example of this is included in
   the patch where psql throws an error if --no-connect and --list are
   specified together.
   
   $ psql --no-connect --list
   psql: error: --no-connect cannot be specified with --list
   
   Best regards,
   Gurjeet
   http://Gurje.et
   

2. Re: psql --no-connect option

   Tristan Partin <tristan@neon.tech> — 2023-08-25T02:19:22Z

   On Thu Aug 24, 2023 at 2:55 PM CDT, Gurjeet Singh wrote:
   > Currently, psql exits if a database connection is not established when
   > psql is launched.
   >
   > Sometimes it may be useful to launch psql without connecting to the
   > database. For example, a user may choose to start psql and then pipe
   > commands via stdin, one of which may eventually perform the \connect
   > command. Or the user may be interested in performing operations that
   > psql can perform, like setting variables etc., before optionally
   > initiating a connection.
   
   Speaking for myself, but you do bring up a fairly interesting usecase. 
   Is this a feature you have found yourself wanting in the past?
   
   -- 
   Tristan Partin
   Neon (https://neon.tech)
   
   
   
   

3. Re: psql --no-connect option

   Julien Rouhaud <rjuju123@gmail.com> — 2023-08-25T04:20:58Z

   Hi,
   
   On Thu, Aug 24, 2023 at 12:55:30PM -0700, Gurjeet Singh wrote:
   > Currently, psql exits if a database connection is not established when
   > psql is launched.
   >
   > Sometimes it may be useful to launch psql without connecting to the
   > database. For example, a user may choose to start psql and then pipe
   > commands via stdin, one of which may eventually perform the \connect
   > command. Or the user may be interested in performing operations that
   > psql can perform, like setting variables etc., before optionally
   > initiating a connection.
   >
   > The attached patch introduces the --no-connect option, which allows
   > psql to continue operation in absence of connection options.
   
   FTR this has been discussed in the past, see at least [1].
   
   I was interested in this feature, suggesting the exact same "--no-connect"
   name, so still +1 for this patch (note that I haven't read it).
   
   [1]: https://www.postgresql.org/message-id/flat/CAFe70G7iATwCMrymVwSVz7NajxCw3552TzFFHvkJqL_3L6gDTA%40mail.gmail.com
   
   
   
   

4. Re: psql --no-connect option

   Pavel Stehule <pavel.stehule@gmail.com> — 2023-08-25T04:26:47Z

   pá 25. 8. 2023 v 6:21 odesílatel Julien Rouhaud <rjuju123@gmail.com> napsal:
   
   > Hi,
   >
   > On Thu, Aug 24, 2023 at 12:55:30PM -0700, Gurjeet Singh wrote:
   > > Currently, psql exits if a database connection is not established when
   > > psql is launched.
   > >
   > > Sometimes it may be useful to launch psql without connecting to the
   > > database. For example, a user may choose to start psql and then pipe
   > > commands via stdin, one of which may eventually perform the \connect
   > > command. Or the user may be interested in performing operations that
   > > psql can perform, like setting variables etc., before optionally
   > > initiating a connection.
   > >
   > > The attached patch introduces the --no-connect option, which allows
   > > psql to continue operation in absence of connection options.
   >
   > FTR this has been discussed in the past, see at least [1].
   >
   > I was interested in this feature, suggesting the exact same "--no-connect"
   > name, so still +1 for this patch (note that I haven't read it).
   >
   > [1]:
   > https://www.postgresql.org/message-id/flat/CAFe70G7iATwCMrymVwSVz7NajxCw3552TzFFHvkJqL_3L6gDTA%40mail.gmail.com
   
   
   +1
   
   Pavel