<term><option>-C <replaceable>name</replaceable></option></term>
<listitem>
<para>
- Returns the value of a named run-time parameter, and exits.
+ Prints the value of the named run-time parameter, and exits.
(See the <option>-c</> option above for details.) This can
be used on a running server, and returns values from
<filename>postgresql.conf</>, modified by any parameters
supplied in this invocation. It does not reflect parameters
supplied when the cluster was started.
</para>
+
+ <para>
+ This option is meant for other programs that interact with a server
+ instance, such as <xref linkend="app-pg-ctl">, to query configuration
+ parameter values. User-facing applications should instead use <xref
+ linkend="sql-show"> or the <structname>pg_settings</structname> view.
+ </para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
#endif
printf(_(" -B NBUFFERS number of shared buffers\n"));
printf(_(" -c NAME=VALUE set run-time parameter\n"));
- printf(_(" -C NAME return run-time parameter\n"));
+ printf(_(" -C NAME print value of run-time parameter, then exit\n"));
printf(_(" -d 1-5 debugging level\n"));
printf(_(" -D DATADIR database directory\n"));
printf(_(" -e use European date input format (DMY)\n"));