PostgreSQL Bugs - Fwd: Bug#308535: postgresql-client: [psql] manual page does not document ~/.pgpass file

Author

Fwd: Bug#308535: postgresql-client: [psql] manual page does not document ~/.pgpass file

Martin Pitt

2005-05-13, 9:24 am

Hi PostgreSQL developers!

We recently got the bug report below. Do you agree that documenting
~/.pgpass in psql(1) is a good idea?

Thanks for considering and have a nice day!

Martin

----- Forwarded message from Jari Aalto <jari.aalto@cante.net> -----

Subject: Bug#308535: postgresql-client: [psql] manual page does not document ~/.pgpass file
Reply-To: Jari Aalto <jari.aalto@cante.net>, 308535@bugs.debian.org
From: Jari Aalto <jari.aalto@cante.net>
To: Debian Bug Tracking System <submit@bugs.debian.org>
Date: Tue, 10 May 2005 23:26:00 +0300
X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.0 required=4.0 tests=AWL,BAYES_50 autolearn=no
version=3.0.2

Package: postgresql-client
Version: 7.4.7-6
Severity: minor

psql(1) manual page does not mention in the FILES section ~/.pgpass file
and how it is used. It should include:

FILES

...

o The file ~/.pgpass in is a file that can contain passwords to be
used if the connection requires a password (and no password has
been specified otherwise). This file should have lines of the
following format:

hostname:port:databa
se:username:password

Each of the first four fields may be a literal value, or *, which
matches anything. The password field from the first line that matches
the current connection parameters will be used. (Therefore, put
more-specific entries first when you are using wildcards.) If an entry
needs to contain : or \, escape this character with \.

The permissions on .pgpass must disallow any access to world or group;
achieve this by the command chmod 0600 ~/.pgpass. If the permissions
are less strict than this, the file will be ignored.

This explanation was exerpted from
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/7.4/...bpq-pgpass.html
I have no idea why it is there, where nobidy is looking

----- End forwarded message -----

--
Martin Pitt http://www.piware.de
Ubuntu Developer http://www.ubuntulinux.org
Debian Developer http://www.debian.org

Tom Lane

2005-05-13, 9:24 am

Martin Pitt <mpitt@debian.org> writes:
> We recently got the bug report below. Do you agree that documenting
> ~/.pgpass in psql(1) is a good idea?

On that theory we'd have to replicate large parts of the libpq
documentation on every one of the "client application" pages,
which doesn't seem very maintainable. (.pgpass is just the tip
of the iceberg; the "environment variables" and "SSL support"
pages are also pretty critical for users to know about.)

I agree that there needs to be some more prominent mention,
but this doesn't look like the way to do it. Maybe some
"see also" links?

regards, tom lane

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Martin Pitt

2005-05-16, 11:23 am

Hi!

Tom Lane [2005-05-13 9:49 - 0400]:
> Martin Pitt <mpitt@debian.org> writes:
>
> On that theory we'd have to replicate large parts of the libpq
> documentation on every one of the "client application" pages,
> which doesn't seem very maintainable. (.pgpass is just the tip
> of the iceberg; the "environment variables" and "SSL support"
> pages are also pretty critical for users to know about.)
>
> I agree that there needs to be some more prominent mention,
> but this doesn't look like the way to do it. Maybe some
> "see also" links?

A prominent pointer (URL and hint to local documentation) would
certainly be adequate then.

Thanks and have a nice weekend!

Martin

--
Martin Pitt http://www.piware.de
Ubuntu Developer http://www.ubuntulinux.org
Debian Developer http://www.debian.org

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