Re: SQL command to edit postgresql.conf, with comments

Robert Haas <robertmhaas(at)gmail(dot)com> writes:
> I kind of dislike SET PERMANENT as a command name, partly because I
> think it sounds more certain than it really is, and partly because
> it's asymmetric with the other, similar GUC-setting commands, which
> are:

> ALTER ROLE name [ IN DATABASE database_name ] SET
> configuration_parameter { TO | = } { value | DEFAULT }
> ALTER DATABASE name SET configuration_parameter { TO | = } { value | DEFAULT }

> Perhaps ALTER SYSTEM SET configuration_parameter { TO | = } { value |
> DEFAULT } ?

That might be a good idea. One argument for it is that you could
extend this syntax to include an optional comment, which would avoid
having to wedge an inherently non-transactional operation into
COMMENT ON. Say

ALTER SYSTEM SET foo = 'bar' COMMENT 'hacked by tgl 10/13/2010';

regards, tom lane