Re: Re: ALTER SYSTEM SET command to change postgresql.conf parameters (RE: Proposal for Allow postgresql.conf values to be changed via SQL [review])

Stephen Frost <sfrost@snowman.net> writes:
> * Josh Berkus (josh@agliodbs.com) wrote:
>> A much simpler solution to the issue Stephen proposes is to have a way
>> to start up the server with all settings from ALTER SYSTEM SET disabled,
>> just like some software allows you to start it up in "safe mode".

> See above for why I'm not thrilled wih this approach, unless it was set
> up to happen automatically, but you couldn't simply ignore *all* the
> ALTER SYSTEM SET parameters because then you might not be able to
> connect in due to some ALTER SYSTEM SET parameter being necessary for
> remote connectivity or authentication.

Yeah, this approach is a nonstarter because there's no reason to assume
that a postmaster started with default parameters will start successfully,
or will be connectable-to if it does start.  Maybe there's another
postmaster hogging the default port, for instance.
        regards, tom lane