From: Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>
To: "David G. Johnston" <david.g.johnston@gmail.com>
cc: "615695028@qq.com" <615695028@qq.com>,
        "pgsql-bugs@lists.postgresql.org" <pgsql-bugs@lists.postgresql.org>
Subject: Re: BUG #19410: Cannot ser client_encoding
In-reply-to: <CAKFQuwYYWsCTBBah+4OSLHOX7vjrS8o2K4DxhEzbuMbSp5KAqQ@mail.gmail.com>
References: <19410-ae5020230ee6369b@postgresql.org> <CAKFQuwYYWsCTBBah+4OSLHOX7vjrS8o2K4DxhEzbuMbSp5KAqQ@mail.gmail.com>
Comments: In-reply-to "David G. Johnston" <david.g.johnston@gmail.com>
	message dated "Sun, 15 Feb 2026 07:55:27 -0700"
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Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2026 10:10:33 -0500
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"David G. Johnston" <david.g.johnston@gmail.com> writes:
> On Saturday, February 14, 2026, PG Bug reporting form <
> noreply@postgresql.org> wrote:
>> [ SET doesn't persist across sessions ]

> Everything you=E2=80=99ve shown worked as expected.

Indeed.  I suggest reading

https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/config-setting.html

which not only explains that the effects of SET are per-session,
but lists all the other ways to adjust a server setting.

> If you want to always use UTF-8 I=E2=80=99d suggest you figure out how t=
o configure
> your client to do so.  psql will then just auto-detect whatever is actua=
lly
> in use.  It doesn=E2=80=99t really make sense to use SET with client_enc=
oding.

Yeah, that's an orthogonal issue: you really need client_encoding to
match whatever your terminal window is using, or non-ASCII characters
won't display correctly.  So letting psql deduce it from environment
is usually the right thing.

			regards, tom lane