-v --variable --set

-v assignment, --variable assignment, and --set assignment perform a variable assignment, like the vsql meta-command \set.

You must separate name and value, if any, by an equals sign (=) on the command line.

To unset a variable, omit the equal sign. To set a variable without a value, use the equals sign but omit the value. Make these assignments at a very early stage of start-up, so that variables reserved for internal purposes can get overwritten later.