Q:

How do I automatically set meta commands when starting psql?

When I start a psql session, I would like certain meta commands to already be set.
For instance:
\x auto
\set ON_ERROR_STOP on

I was hoping to find an rc or config file but couldn't. The command line options don't seem comprehensive either.

A:

You are looking for the .psqlrc file. Per documentation:

psqlrc and ~/.psqlrc
Unless it is passed an -X or -c option, psql attempts to read and execute commands from the system-wide startup file (psqlrc) and then the user's personal startup file (~/.psqlrc), after connecting to the database but before accepting normal commands. These files can be used to set up the client and/or the server to taste, typically with \set and SET commands.

