Re: BUG #6452: psql: can't change client encoding from the command line

The following bug has been logged on the website:

Bug reference: 6452
Logged by: Félix
Email address: felix(dot)gerzaguet(at)gmail(dot)com
PostgreSQL version: 9.1.2
Operating system: Win XP Pro SP3
Description:

Hi,

here is the problem:

Using the command line, I can't change the client encoding, but I can change
it using the "\encoding" command :

C:\>psql --variable=ENCODING=UTF8
could not find a "psql" to execute
could not find a "psql" to execute
psql (9.1.2)
WARNING: Console code page (850) differs from Windows code page (1252)
8-bit characters might not work correctly. See psql reference
page "Notes for Windows users" for details.
Type "help" for help.

postgres=# \encoding
WIN1252
postgres=# \echo :ENCODING
WIN1252
postgres=# \encoding UTF8
postgres=# \encoding
UTF8
postgres=# \echo :ENCODING
UTF8
postgres=# \q

On 11.02.2012 20:02, felix(dot)gerzaguet(at)gmail(dot)com wrote:
> Using the command line, I can't change the client encoding, but I can change
> it using the "\encoding" command :
>
> C:\>psql --variable=ENCODING=UTF8
> could not find a "psql" to execute
> could not find a "psql" to execute
> psql (9.1.2)
> WARNING: Console code page (850) differs from Windows code page (1252)
> 8-bit characters might not work correctly. See psql reference
> page "Notes for Windows users" for details.
> Type "help" for help.
>
> postgres=# \encoding
> WIN1252
> postgres=# \echo :ENCODING
> WIN1252
> postgres=# \encoding UTF8
> postgres=# \encoding
> UTF8
> postgres=# \echo :ENCODING
> UTF8
> postgres=# \q

Yeah, "\set ENCODING UTF8" doesn't seem to work either. The "ENCODING"
psql variable tracks changes to the server's client_encoding setting,
but not vice versa. That probably should be fixed, or at least it should
throw an error telling the user to use \encoding instead.

As a workaround, you can set the PGCLIENTENCODING environment variable
before launching psql.

--
Heikki Linnakangas
EnterpriseDB http://www.enterprisedb.com

Thanks for the workaround. I'll use it untill the bug is fixed :-)

--
Félix

On Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 1:41 PM, Heikki Linnakangas <
heikki(dot)linnakangas(at)enterprisedb(dot)com> wrote:

> On 11.02.2012 20:02, felix(dot)gerzaguet(at)gmail(dot)com wrote:
>
>> Using the command line, I can't change the client encoding, but I can
>> change
>> it using the "\encoding" command :
>>
>> C:\>psql --variable=ENCODING=UTF8
>> could not find a "psql" to execute
>> could not find a "psql" to execute
>> psql (9.1.2)
>> WARNING: Console code page (850) differs from Windows code page (1252)
>> 8-bit characters might not work correctly. See psql reference
>> page "Notes for Windows users" for details.
>> Type "help" for help.
>>
>> postgres=# \encoding
>> WIN1252
>> postgres=# \echo :ENCODING
>> WIN1252
>> postgres=# \encoding UTF8
>> postgres=# \encoding
>> UTF8
>> postgres=# \echo :ENCODING
>> UTF8
>> postgres=# \q
>>
>
> Yeah, "\set ENCODING UTF8" doesn't seem to work either. The "ENCODING"
> psql variable tracks changes to the server's client_encoding setting, but
> not vice versa. That probably should be fixed, or at least it should throw
> an error telling the user to use \encoding instead.
>
> As a workaround, you can set the PGCLIENTENCODING environment variable
> before launching psql.
>
> --
> Heikki Linnakangas
> EnterpriseDB http://www.enterprisedb.com
>