PostgreSQL: How to pass parameters from command line?

Question

I have a somewhat detailed query in a script that uses ? placeholders. I wanted to test this same query directly from the psql command line (outside the script

Answer 1

In psql there is a mechanism via the

\set name val

command, which is supposed to be tied to the -v name=val command-line option. Quoting is painful, In most cases it is easier to put the whole query meat inside a shell here-document.

Edit

oops, I should have said -v instead of -P (which is for formatting options) previous reply got it right.