How to change DATABASE_URL for a heroku applicatio

Question

I've an external database ready and want to now use that database with my heroku app. But I'm unable to edit the Configuration Variables. I tried using GUI, Which says, Cannot overwrite attachment values DATABASE_URL. While I tried using CLI as well. I used the command: heroku config:addDATABASE_URL="postgresql://username:password@IP:PORT". However, this throws an error ........ is not a heroku command.

Answer 1

I got the very same situation today when I need to change postgres to postgis. Detach doesn't work for me so I done this to database.yml:

production:

  url: <%= ENV['DATABASE_URL'].sub(/^postgres/, "postgis") %>

https://github.com/rgeo/activerecord-postgis-adapter/issues/214.

Answer 2

Solved it. Just for the reference of the users who have the same issue or want to have a similar implementation. Here's the workaround which worked for me.

Heroku no more overwrites databse.yml, so I just modified the DATBASE_URL in the database.yml and pushed it :)

It worked too!

Source : https://discussion.heroku.com/t/rails-4-1-database-yml-no-longer-overwritten-on-heroku/550

Answer 3

An alternative method which does not require detaching (which may not be a desired outcome of the switch) is to simply attach the new database and then promote it, which the Heroku Documents explicitly states as a way to set the DATABASE_URL.

heroku addons:attach heroku-postgresql -a <app_name>
heroku pg:promote heroku-postgresql -a <app_name>

Answer 4

As explained in this article, the correct syntax to set/add a configuration variable is

$ heroku config:set DATABASE_URL="postgresql://username:password@IP:PORT"

However, it looks like (see the comments) the DATABASE_URL has been deprecated and trying to update it will trigger an error.

Answer 5

Based on the Heroku docs this is how you would share a database with multiple apps.

heroku addons:attach my-originating-app::DATABASE --app sushi

Answer 6

After trying out most these answers, I came across an update in 2016, here: the database needs to be detached first, then update the variable of the DATABASE_URL.

heroku addons:attach heroku-postgresql -a <app_name> --as HEROKU_DATABASE
heroku addons:detach DATABASE -a <app_name>
heroku config:add DATABASE_URL=