<primary><envar>PGSERVICEFILE</envar></primary>

</indexterm>

<envar>PGSERVICEFILE</envar> specifies the name of the per-user

connection service file. If not set, it defaults

to <filename>~/.pg_service.conf</filename>

connection service file

(see <xref linkend="libpq-pgservice"/>).

Defaults to <filename>~/.pg_service.conf</filename>, or

<filename>%APPDATA%\postgresql\.pg_service.conf</filename> on

Microsoft Windows.

</para>

</listitem>

The file <filename>.pgpass</filename> in a user's home directory can

contain passwords to

be used if the connection requires a password (and no password has been

specifiedotherwise). On Microsoft Windows the file is named

specified otherwise). On Microsoft Windows the file is named

<filename>%APPDATA%\postgresql\pgpass.conf</filename> (where

<filename>%APPDATA%</filename> refers to the Application Data subdirectory in

the user's profile).

Alternatively,a password file can be specified

Alternatively,the password file to use can be specified

using the connection parameter <xref linkend="libpq-connect-passfile"/>

or the environment variable <envar>PGPASSFILE</envar>.

</para>

<para>

The connection service file allows libpq connection parameters to be

associated with a single service name. That service name can then be

specifiedby a libpq connection, and the associated settings will be

specifiedin a libpq connection string, and the associated settings will be

used. This allows connection parameters to be modified without requiring

a recompile of the libpq application. The service name can also be

a recompile of the libpq-using application. The service name can also be

specified using the <envar>PGSERVICE</envar> environment variable.

</para>

<para>

The connection service file can be a per-user service file

at <filename>~/.pg_service.conf</filename> or the location

specified by the environment variable <envar>PGSERVICEFILE</envar>,

or it can be a system-wide file

at <filename>`pg_config --sysconfdir`/pg_service.conf</filename> or in the directory

specified by the environment variable

<envar>PGSYSCONFDIR</envar>. If service definitions with the same

name exist in the user and the system file, the user file takes

precedence.

Service names can be defined in either a per-user service file or a

system-wide file. If the same service name exists in both the user

and the system file, the user file takes precedence.

By default, the per-user service file is named

<filename>~/.pg_service.conf</filename>.

On Microsoft Windows, it is named

<filename>%APPDATA%\postgresql\.pg_service.conf</filename> (where

<filename>%APPDATA%</filename> refers to the Application Data subdirectory

in the user's profile). A different file name can be specified by

setting the environment variable <envar>PGSERVICEFILE</envar>.

The system-wide file is named <filename>pg_service.conf</filename>.

By default it is sought in the <filename>etc</filename> directory

of the <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> installation

(use <literal>pg_config --sysconfdir</literal> to identify this

directory precisely). Another directory, but not a different file

name, can be specified by setting the environment variable

<envar>PGSYSCONFDIR</envar>.

</para>

<para>

The file uses an <quote>INI file</quote> format where the section

Either service file uses an <quote>INI file</quote> format where the section

name is the service name and the parameters are connection

parameters; see <xref linkend="libpq-paramkeywords"/> for a list. For

example:

port=5433

user=admin

</programlisting>

An example file is provided at

An example file is provided in

the <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> installation at

<filename>share/pg_service.conf.sample</filename>.

</para>

<para>

Connection parameters obtained from a service file are combined with

parameters obtained from other sources. A service file setting

overrides the corresponding environment variable, and in turn can be

overridden by a value given directly in the connection string.

For example, using the above service file, a connection string

<literal>service=mydb port=5434</literal> will use

host <literal>somehost</literal>, port <literal>5434</literal>,

user <literal>admin</literal>, and other parameters as set by

environment variables or built-in defaults.

</para>

</sect1>