psql: How to make :HOST expand in a "\!" command?

[Jeff Boes]

I have a SQL script that needs to invoke a non-SQL command, so I'm using ...

\! some_cmd arg arg arg

However, when the SQL script is invoked for a different PostgreSQL host,
e.g.,

$ psql -h HOSTNAME -f SCRIPTNAME

the :HOST variable is set correctly, but there doesn't seem to be a way
to pass :HOST to the external command. That is,

\! PGHOST=:HOST some_cmd arg arg arg

fails because ":HOST" is not expanded.

--
Jeff Boes vox 269.226.9550 ext 24
Database Engineer fax [phone]
Nexcerpt, Inc. http://www.nexcerpt.com
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