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Update FAQ from Robert Treat

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for PostgreSQL Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for PostgreSQL
Last updated: Fri Mar 12 08:51:11 EST 2004 Last updated: Mon Mar 29 00:07:11 EST 2004
Current maintainer: Bruce Momjian (pgman@candle.pha.pa.us) Current maintainer: Bruce Momjian (pgman@candle.pha.pa.us)
@ -114,22 +114,24 @@
1.1) What is PostgreSQL? How is it pronounced? 1.1) What is PostgreSQL? How is it pronounced?
PostgreSQL is pronounced Post-Gres-Q-L. The name "Postgres" is also PostgreSQL is pronounced Post-Gres-Q-L. An audio file is available at
used in conversation. http://www.postgresql.org/postgresql.mp3 for those would like to hear
the pronunciation.
PostgreSQL is an enhancement of the POSTGRES database management PostgreSQL is an enhancement of the POSTGRES database management
system, a next-generation DBMS research prototype. While PostgreSQL system (and is still sometimes reffered to as simply "Postgres"), a
retains the powerful data model and rich data types of POSTGRES, it next-generation DBMS research prototype. While PostgreSQL retains the
replaces the PostQuel query language with an extended subset of SQL. powerful data model and rich data types of POSTGRES, it replaces the
PostgreSQL is free and the complete source is available. PostQuel query language with an extended subset of SQL. PostgreSQL is
free and the complete source is available.
PostgreSQL development is performed by a team of developers who all PostgreSQL development is performed by a team of developers who all
subscribe to the PostgreSQL development mailing list. The current subscribe to the PostgreSQL development mailing list. The current
coordinator is Marc G. Fournier (scrappy@PostgreSQL.org). (See section coordinator is Marc G. Fournier (scrappy@PostgreSQL.org). (See section
1.6 on how to join). This team is now responsible for all development 1.6 on how to join). This team is now responsible for all development
of PostgreSQL. It is a community project and is not controlled by any of PostgreSQL. It is a community project and is not controlled by any
company. To get involved, see the developer's company. To get involved, see the developer's FAQ at
FAQ,http://www.PostgreSQL.org/docs/faqs/FAQ_DEV.html http://www.PostgreSQL.org/docs/faqs/FAQ_DEV.html
The authors of PostgreSQL 1.01 were Andrew Yu and Jolly Chen. Many The authors of PostgreSQL 1.01 were Andrew Yu and Jolly Chen. Many
others have contributed to the porting, testing, debugging, and others have contributed to the porting, testing, debugging, and
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PostgreSQL Data Base Management System PostgreSQL Data Base Management System
Portions copyright (c) 1996-2002, PostgreSQL Global Development Group Portions copyright (c) 1996-2004, PostgreSQL Global Development Group
Portions Copyright (c) 1994-6 Regents of the University of California Portions Copyright (c) 1994-6 Regents of the University of California
Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its
@ -177,7 +179,7 @@
1.3) What Unix platforms does PostgreSQL run on? 1.3) What Unix platforms does PostgreSQL run on?
In general, a modern Unix-compatible platform should be able to run In general, any modern Unix-compatible platform should be able to run
PostgreSQL. The platforms that had received explicit testing at the PostgreSQL. The platforms that had received explicit testing at the
time of release are listed in the installation instructions. time of release are listed in the installation instructions.
@ -436,7 +438,7 @@
These include PgAccess http://www.pgaccess.org), PgAdmin III These include PgAccess http://www.pgaccess.org), PgAdmin III
(http://www.pgadmin.org, RHDB Admin (http://sources.redhat.com/rhdb/ ) (http://www.pgadmin.org, RHDB Admin (http://sources.redhat.com/rhdb/ )
and Rekall ( http://www.thekompany.com/products/rekall/, proprietary). and Rekall ( http://www.thekompany.com/products/rekall/, proprietary).
There is also PHPPgAdmin ( http://phppgadmin.sourceforge.net/ ), a There is also PhpPgAdmin ( http://phppgadmin.sourceforge.net/ ), a
web-based interface to PostgreSQL. web-based interface to PostgreSQL.
See http://techdocs.postgresql.org/guides/GUITools for a more detailed See http://techdocs.postgresql.org/guides/GUITools for a more detailed
@ -503,14 +505,14 @@
By default, PostgreSQL only allows connections from the local machine By default, PostgreSQL only allows connections from the local machine
using Unix domain sockets. Other machines will not be able to connect using Unix domain sockets. Other machines will not be able to connect
unless you add the -i flag to postmaster, and enable host-based unless you turn on tcpip_sockets in the postgresql.conf and enable
authentication by modifying the file $PGDATA/pg_hba.conf accordingly. host-based authentication by modifying the file $PGDATA/pg_hba.conf
This will allow TCP/IP connections. accordingly. This will allow TCP/IP connections.
3.6) How do I tune the database engine for better performance? 3.6) How do I tune the database engine for better performance?
Certainly, indexes can speed up queries. The EXPLAIN command allows Certainly, indexes can speed up queries. The EXPLAIN ANALYZE command
you to see how PostgreSQL is interpreting your query, and which allows you to see how PostgreSQL is interpreting your query, and which
indexes are being used. indexes are being used.
If you are doing many INSERTs, consider doing them in a large batch If you are doing many INSERTs, consider doing them in a large batch
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4.3) How do I get a list of tables or other things I can see in psql? 4.3) How do I get a list of tables or other things I can see in psql?
You can read the source code for psql in file Use the \dt command to see tables in psql. For a complete list of
pgsql/src/bin/psql/describe.c. It contains SQL commands that generate commands inside psql you can use \?. Alternatively you can read the
the output for psql's backslash commands. You can also start psql with source code for psql in file pgsql/src/bin/psql/describe.c, it
the -E option so it will print out the queries it uses to execute the contains SQL commands that generate the output for psql's backslash
commands you give. commands. You can also start psql with the -E option so it will print
out the queries it uses to execute the commands you give. PostgreSQL
also provides an SQLi compliant INFORMATION SCHEMA interface you can
query to get information about the database.
4.4) How do you remove a column from a table, or change its data type? 4.4) How do you remove a column from a table, or change its data type?

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alink="#0000ff"> alink="#0000ff">
<H1>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for PostgreSQL</H1> <H1>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for PostgreSQL</H1>
<P>Last updated: Fri Mar 12 08:51:11 EST 2004</P> <P>Last updated: Mon Mar 29 00:07:11 EST 2004</P>
<P>Current maintainer: Bruce Momjian (<A href= <P>Current maintainer: Bruce Momjian (<A href=
"mailto:pgman@candle.pha.pa.us">pgman@candle.pha.pa.us</A>)<BR> "mailto:pgman@candle.pha.pa.us">pgman@candle.pha.pa.us</A>)<BR>
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<H4><A name="1.1">1.1</A>) What is PostgreSQL? How is it pronounced?</H4> <H4><A name="1.1">1.1</A>) What is PostgreSQL? How is it pronounced?</H4>
<P>PostgreSQL is pronounced <I>Post-Gres-Q-L</I>. The name "Postgres" is <P>PostgreSQL is pronounced <I>Post-Gres-Q-L</I>. An audio file is
also used in conversation.</P> available at http://www.postgresql.org/postgresql.mp3 for those
would like to hear the pronunciation.
</P>
<P>PostgreSQL is an enhancement of the POSTGRES database management <P>PostgreSQL is an enhancement of the POSTGRES database management
system, a next-generation <SMALL>DBMS</SMALL> research prototype. system (and is still sometimes reffered to as simply "Postgres"),
a next-generation <SMALL>DBMS</SMALL> research prototype.
While PostgreSQL retains the powerful data model and rich data While PostgreSQL retains the powerful data model and rich data
types of POSTGRES, it replaces the PostQuel query language with an types of POSTGRES, it replaces the PostQuel query language with an
extended subset of <SMALL>SQL</SMALL>. PostgreSQL is free and the extended subset of <SMALL>SQL</SMALL>. PostgreSQL is free and the
@ -173,7 +176,7 @@
section <a href="#1.6">1.6</a> on how to join). This team is now section <a href="#1.6">1.6</a> on how to join). This team is now
responsible for all development of PostgreSQL. It is a community responsible for all development of PostgreSQL. It is a community
project and is not controlled by any company. To get involved, see project and is not controlled by any company. To get involved, see
the developer's FAQ,<A href= the developer's FAQ at <A href=
"http://www.PostgreSQL.org/docs/faqs/FAQ_DEV.html">http://www.PostgreSQL.org/docs/faqs/FAQ_DEV.html</A> "http://www.PostgreSQL.org/docs/faqs/FAQ_DEV.html">http://www.PostgreSQL.org/docs/faqs/FAQ_DEV.html</A>
</P> </P>
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<P>PostgreSQL Data Base Management System</P> <P>PostgreSQL Data Base Management System</P>
<P>Portions copyright (c) 1996-2002, PostgreSQL Global Development <P>Portions copyright (c) 1996-2004, PostgreSQL Global Development
Group Portions Copyright (c) 1994-6 Regents of the University of Group Portions Copyright (c) 1994-6 Regents of the University of
California</P> California</P>
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<H4><A name="1.3">1.3</A>) What Unix platforms does PostgreSQL run <H4><A name="1.3">1.3</A>) What Unix platforms does PostgreSQL run
on?</H4> on?</H4>
<P>In general, a modern Unix-compatible platform should be able to <P>In general, any modern Unix-compatible platform should be able to
run PostgreSQL. The platforms that had received explicit testing at run PostgreSQL. The platforms that had received explicit testing at
the time of release are listed in the installation the time of release are listed in the installation
instructions.</P> instructions.</P>
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href="http://sources.redhat.com/rhdb/">http://sources.redhat.com/rhdb/ href="http://sources.redhat.com/rhdb/">http://sources.redhat.com/rhdb/
</a>) and Rekall (<a href="http://www.thekompany.com/products/rekall/"> </a>) and Rekall (<a href="http://www.thekompany.com/products/rekall/">
http://www.thekompany.com/products/rekall/</a>, proprietary). There is http://www.thekompany.com/products/rekall/</a>, proprietary). There is
also PHPPgAdmin (<a href="http://phppgadmin.sourceforge.net/"> also PhpPgAdmin (<a href="http://phppgadmin.sourceforge.net/">
http://phppgadmin.sourceforge.net/ </a>), a web-based interface to http://phppgadmin.sourceforge.net/ </a>), a web-based interface to
PostgreSQL.</P> PostgreSQL.</P>
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<P>By default, PostgreSQL only allows connections from the local <P>By default, PostgreSQL only allows connections from the local
machine using Unix domain sockets. Other machines will not be able machine using Unix domain sockets. Other machines will not be able
to connect unless you add the <I>-i</I> flag to <I>postmaster</I>, to connect unless you turn on tcpip_sockets in the postgresql.conf
<B>and</B> enable host-based authentication by modifying the file <B>and</B> enable host-based authentication by modifying the file
<I>$PGDATA/pg_hba.conf</I> accordingly. This will allow TCP/IP <I>$PGDATA/pg_hba.conf</I> accordingly. This will allow TCP/IP
connections.</P> connections.</P>
@ -660,7 +663,7 @@
better performance?</H4> better performance?</H4>
<P>Certainly, indexes can speed up queries. The <P>Certainly, indexes can speed up queries. The
<SMALL>EXPLAIN</SMALL> command allows you to see how PostgreSQL is <SMALL>EXPLAIN ANALYZE</SMALL> command allows you to see how PostgreSQL is
interpreting your query, and which indexes are being used.</P> interpreting your query, and which indexes are being used.</P>
<P>If you are doing many <SMALL>INSERTs</SMALL>, consider doing <P>If you are doing many <SMALL>INSERTs</SMALL>, consider doing
@ -837,12 +840,15 @@
<H4><A name="4.3">4.3</A>) How do I get a list of tables or other <H4><A name="4.3">4.3</A>) How do I get a list of tables or other
things I can see in <I>psql</I>?</H4> things I can see in <I>psql</I>?</H4>
<P>You can read the source code for <I>psql</I> in file <P>Use the \dt command to see tables in <I>psql</I>. For a complete list of
<I>pgsql/src/bin/psql/describe.c</I>. It contains commands inside psql you can use \?. Alternatively you can read the source
<SMALL>SQL</SMALL> commands that generate the output for psql's code for <I>psql</I> in file <I>pgsql/src/bin/psql/describe.c</I>, it
backslash commands. You can also start <I>psql</I> with the contains <SMALL>SQL</SMALL> commands that generate the output for
<I>-E</I> option so it will print out the queries it uses to <I>psql</I>'s backslash commands. You can also start <I>psql</I> with the
execute the commands you give.</P> <I>-E</I> option so it will print out the queries it uses to execute the
commands you give. PostgreSQL also provides an <SMALL>SQLi</SMALL> compliant
INFORMATION SCHEMA interface you can query to get information about the
database.</P>
<H4><A name="4.4">4.4</A>) How do you remove a column from a <H4><A name="4.4">4.4</A>) How do you remove a column from a
table, or change its data type?</H4> table, or change its data type?</H4>