Mention that some psql environment variables come from libpq and note

more variables can be found in the libpq manual section.

Mention .pgpass in the psql manual page section dealing with connection
parameters and point to the libpq section for more details.

Backpatch to 8.0.X.

diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
index 5f1144a6379e11936e128257c2d62ba2d2214c6b..81b9aaa0b8d3eb96856a8c145bf2f8d743161fbe 100644 (file)
--- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
 
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ PostgreSQL documentation
       -u
       
       
-      Makes psql prompt for the user name and
+      Forces psql to prompt for the user name and
       password before connecting to the database.
       
 
@@ -406,21 +406,25 @@ PostgreSQL documentation
       --password
       
       
-      Cause psql to prompt for a
-      password before connecting to a database. This will remain set for
-      the entire session, even if you change the database connection
-      with the meta-command \connect.
+      Forces psql to prompt for a
+      password before connecting to a database.  
       
 
       
-      In the current version, psql
-      automatically issues a password prompt whenever the server
-      requests password authentication. Because this is currently based
-      on a hack, the automatic recognition might mysteriously fail,
-      hence this option to force a prompt. If no password prompt is
-      issued and the server requires password authentication, the
-      connection attempt will fail.
+      psql should automatically prompt for a
+      password whenever the server requests password authentication.
+      However, currently password request detection is not totally
+      reliable, hence this option to force a prompt. If no password
+      prompt is issued and the server requires password authentication,
+      the connection attempt will fail.
       
+
+      
+      This option will remain set for the entire session, even if you
+      change the database connection with the meta-command
+      \connect.
+      
+
       
     
 
@@ -508,7 +512,10 @@ PostgreSQL documentation
     some typing by setting the environment variables
     PGDATABASE, PGHOST,
     PGPORT and/or PGUSER to appropriate
-    values.
+    values. (For additional environment variables, see 
+    linkend="libpq-envars">.) It is also convenient to have a
+    ~/.pgpass file to avoid regularly having to type in
+    passwords. See  for more information.
     
 
     
@@ -2460,7 +2467,7 @@ $endif
 
     
      
-      Default database to connect to
+      Default connection database