[HACKERS] location of the configuration files

[mlw]

The debate on the configuration file sparked a memory of an old patch I submitted in 7.1 days.

One of the things I do not like about PostgreSQL is, IMHO, is a backwards configuration process. Rather than specify a data directory, the administrator should specify a database configuration file. Within the configuration file is the location and names of the data directory and other information. Most admins want a central location for this information.

One of the things that is frustrating to me, is to have to hunt down where the data directory is so that I can administrate a DB. It can be anywhere, in any directory on any volume. If you had, say, a /usr/local/pgsql/admin, then you could have mydb.conf which could then be checked in to CVS. A standard location for configuration files is a more normal process as the location of the data directory is less so. I just don't think the PG data directory should not contain configuration information.

The original patch allowed a user to specify the location of the postgresql.conf file, rather than assuming it lived in $PGDATA
Also included in that patch, was the ability to specify the location of the PGDATA directory as well as the names of the pg_hba.conf and other configuration files.

It also allowed the user to use PG as it has always worked, The patch was not applied because a better solution was supposedly coming, but that was two major revisions ago. I would still like to see this functionality. Would anyone else?


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