Re: BUG #14912: Undocumented: 'psql -l' assumes database 'postgresql' not $USER

On Thu, Nov 16, 2017 at 10:17 AM, <mhwood(at)ameritech(dot)net> wrote:

> The following bug has been logged on the website:
>
> Bug reference: 14912
> Logged by: Mark Wood
> ​[...]​
>
> That is true *unless* using -l / --list. The code shows that this option
> defaults to 'postgresql' instead, overriding the libpq defaulting.
>

​It actually defaults to "postgres"
​
​[...]​

> The actual behavior may be reasonable, but if so it should be documented as
> an exception for the --list function.
>

I can see an argument for either default, but given that this invocation
has never defaulted to the user's database I cannot see changing it.

I agree this should be considered a doc bug and back-patched. Possible
verbiage for master below and attached.

Changing the "Usage" section to point out this exception to the rule seems
undesirable.

David J.

diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
index e520cdf3ba..ad2a505b1e 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
@@ -283,7 +283,9 @@ EOF
<listitem>
<para>
List all available databases, then exit. Other non-connection
- options are ignored. This is similar to the meta-command
+ options are ignored. If an explicit database name is not
+ found the <literal>postgres</literal> database, not the user's,
+ will be targeted for connection. This is similar to the meta-command
<command>\list</command>.
</para>
</listitem>