Re: pg_dump docs should mention TMPDIR

Mark Stosberg <mark(at)summersault(dot)com> writes:
> A suggested addition to the pg_dump docs:
> This would be an extension to the documentation for the "tar" format:

> The tar format needs some space to create temporary files. By default
> "/tmp" is used. On systems with small "/tmp" partitions, set the
> "TMPDIR" environment variable to a location with more space, such as
> "/usr/tmp".

There is no reference to TMPDIR in the pg_dump code. It may be that
tmpfile() pays attention to such an environment variable on your
machine, but there's nothing about it in the Single Unix Spec.

> Also, I would like it if the pg_dump docs more assertively recommended
> one of the "tar" or "custom" formats. They seem very similiar.

Yeah. I think it should specifically recommend custom format. The only
reason for using tar format would be if you want to process the file
later with something other than pg_restore.

regards, tom lane