Quoting $user as Parameter to SET

The default search_path is $user, public.

Say I wanted to reverse this in a database called d:

First of all:

d=> show search_path;

 search_path

--------------

 $user,public

(1 row)

Then:

d=> alter database d set search_path to public, '$user';

Then, in a new session:

d=> show search_path;

 search_path

-----------------

 public, "$user"

(1 row)

This is an important distinction because testing reveals that the quoted $user after the reversal is no longer actually a dynamic variable that results in a search_path that resolves to the current user.

I'm having trouble locating an example of how to include a variable in the parameter list to SET.