Re: [HACKERS] pg_service.conf ignores dbname parameter

Tom Lane wrote:
> Michael Fuhr <mfuhr(at)fuhr(dot)org> writes:
> > When a client connects to the database server using a service name,
> > the dbname parameter in pg_service.conf is ignored. In the absence
> > of an explicitly-named database in the connection string, the service
> > name is used as the database name regardless of that service's
> > dbname setting.
> > [snip]
> > I haven't yet examined the rest of the code closely enough to come
> > up with the correct patch, but it seems that the "set the database
> > name to the name of the service" code should be deferred until
> > after all of the service's parameters have been read.
>
> Hm. I'm of the opinion that the real problem here is the code's
> assumption that it is reasonable to force dbname = servicename when
> the service file doesn't say any such thing. For all other parameters,
> omitting the parameter from pg_service.conf causes the standard default
> to be adopted. Why should dbname work differently? It saves only a
> minimal amount of typing to do it this way, and it might prevent some
> useful setups (namely, a service that specifies connection params but
> allows the usual default of dbname = username to apply).
>
> Since pg_service was completely undocumented before 7.4, I think it is
> safe to say that its usage in the field is nil except for the original
> author, and therefore "backwards compatibility" is not really a relevant
> argument just yet. We ought to concentrate on "principle of least
> astonishment" instead.
>
> Accordingly, I'd rather just delete the offending code instead of move
> it. (BTW, I notice Bruce has fooled with this code before, so it's
> already in the "known source of problems" category.)

Agreed. Just make them supply the dbname in the service file. I can
make the changes and update the documentation in pg_service.conf:

# included in this file. If no database name is specified, it is assumed
# to match the service name. Lines beginning with '#' are comments.

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