Re: postgresql.auto.conf comments

On 24 November 2014 at 20:40, Stephen Frost <sfrost(at)snowman(dot)net> wrote:

> * Thom Brown (thom(at)linux(dot)com) wrote:
> > I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere (although it may have as I haven't
> > read through the entire history of it), but would others find it useful
> to
> > have ALTER SYSTEM support comments?
>
> I do think it'd be useful. I don't think 'inline' deserves inclusion
> and just complicates it more than necessary (my 2c at least). I'd just
> do them all as 'headline' and wrap at 80 chars.
>

I guess it would ensure consistency.

I will point out that this use of COMMENT is novel though, no? Comments
> are normally handled as "COMMENT ON blah IS 'whatever';" ALTER SYSTEM
> is certainly special but I'm not sure I like the idea of having some
> commands which support in-command COMMENT while others don't.
>

I typed that out in my original email, thought about it, then removed it
because I decided that perhaps it isn't the same class as comment as
COMMENT ON uses. That affects objects, whereas this would apply to
individual config parameters within a file. Also bear in mind that if
someone runs:

SHOW maintenance_work_mem;

And sees "4GB", they may decide to add a comment based on that, even though
the source of that setting isn't postgresql.auto.conf.

Thom