PostgreSQL 8.0.0 Documentation
Prev | Fast Backward | Chapter 27. libpq - C Library | Fast Forward | Next

# 27.12. The Password File

The file `.pgpass` in a user's home directory is a file that can contain passwords to be used if the connection requires a password (and no password has been specified otherwise). On Microsoft Windows the file is named `%APPDATA%\postgresql\pgpass.conf` (where `%APPDATA%` refers to the Application Data subdirectory in the user's profile).

This file should contain lines of the following format:

    hostname:port:database:username:password

Each of the first four fields may be a literal value, or `*`, which matches anything. The password field from the first line that matches the current connection parameters will be used. (Therefore, put more-specific entries first when you are using wildcards.) If an entry needs to contain `:` or `\`, escape this character with `\`.

The permissions on `.pgpass` must disallow any access to world or group; achieve this by the command `chmod 0600 ~/.pgpass`. If the permissions are less strict than this, the file will be ignored. (The file permissions are not currently checked on Microsoft Windows, however.)

Prev | Home | Next
Environment Variables | Up | SSL Support