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Update FAQ from Robert Treat

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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)
......@@ -114,22 +114,24 @@
1.1) What is PostgreSQL? How is it pronounced?
PostgreSQL is pronounced Post-Gres-Q-L. The name "Postgres" is also
used in conversation.
PostgreSQL is pronounced Post-Gres-Q-L. An audio file is available at
http://www.postgresql.org/postgresql.mp3 for those would like to hear
the pronunciation.
PostgreSQL is an enhancement of the POSTGRES database management
system, a next-generation DBMS research prototype. While PostgreSQL
retains the powerful data model and rich data types of POSTGRES, it
replaces the PostQuel query language with an extended subset of SQL.
PostgreSQL is free and the complete source is available.
system (and is still sometimes reffered to as simply "Postgres"), a
next-generation DBMS research prototype. While PostgreSQL retains the
powerful data model and rich data types of POSTGRES, it replaces the
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
subscribe to the PostgreSQL development mailing list. The current
coordinator is Marc G. Fournier (scrappy@PostgreSQL.org). (See section
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
company. To get involved, see the developer's
FAQ,http://www.PostgreSQL.org/docs/faqs/FAQ_DEV.html
company. To get involved, see the developer's FAQ at
http://www.PostgreSQL.org/docs/faqs/FAQ_DEV.html
The authors of PostgreSQL 1.01 were Andrew Yu and Jolly Chen. Many
others have contributed to the porting, testing, debugging, and
......@@ -149,7 +151,7 @@
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
Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its
......@@ -177,7 +179,7 @@
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
time of release are listed in the installation instructions.
......@@ -436,7 +438,7 @@
These include PgAccess http://www.pgaccess.org), PgAdmin III
(http://www.pgadmin.org, RHDB Admin (http://sources.redhat.com/rhdb/ )
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.
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
using Unix domain sockets. Other machines will not be able to connect
unless you add the -i flag to postmaster, and enable host-based
authentication by modifying the file $PGDATA/pg_hba.conf accordingly.
This will allow TCP/IP connections.
unless you turn on tcpip_sockets in the postgresql.conf and enable
host-based authentication by modifying the file $PGDATA/pg_hba.conf
accordingly. This will allow TCP/IP connections.
3.6) How do I tune the database engine for better performance?
Certainly, indexes can speed up queries. The EXPLAIN command allows
you to see how PostgreSQL is interpreting your query, and which
Certainly, indexes can speed up queries. The EXPLAIN ANALYZE command
allows you to see how PostgreSQL is interpreting your query, and which
indexes are being used.
If you are doing many INSERTs, consider doing them in a large batch
......@@ -657,11 +659,14 @@
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
pgsql/src/bin/psql/describe.c. It contains SQL commands that generate
the output for psql's backslash 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.
Use the \dt command to see tables in psql. For a complete list of
commands inside psql you can use \?. Alternatively you can read the
source code for psql in file pgsql/src/bin/psql/describe.c, it
contains SQL commands that generate the output for psql's backslash
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?
......
doc/src/FAQ/FAQ.html
View file @ 80683f2a
......@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
alink="#0000ff">
<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=
"mailto:pgman@candle.pha.pa.us">pgman@candle.pha.pa.us</A>)<BR>
......@@ -156,11 +156,14 @@
<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
also used in conversation.</P>
<P>PostgreSQL is pronounced <I>Post-Gres-Q-L</I>. An audio file is
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
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
types of POSTGRES, it replaces the PostQuel query language with an
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
responsible for all development of PostgreSQL. It is a community
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>
</P>
......@@ -197,7 +200,7 @@
<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
California</P>
......@@ -227,7 +230,7 @@
<H4><A name="1.3">1.3</A>) What Unix platforms does PostgreSQL run
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
the time of release are listed in the installation
instructions.</P>
......@@ -563,7 +566,7 @@
href="http://sources.redhat.com/rhdb/">http://sources.redhat.com/rhdb/
</a>) and Rekall (<a href="http://www.thekompany.com/products/rekall/">
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
PostgreSQL.</P>
......@@ -651,7 +654,7 @@
<P>By default, PostgreSQL only allows connections from the local
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
<I>$PGDATA/pg_hba.conf</I> accordingly. This will allow TCP/IP
connections.</P>
......@@ -660,7 +663,7 @@
better performance?</H4>
<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>
<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
things I can see in <I>psql</I>?</H4>
<P>You can read the source code for <I>psql</I> in file
<I>pgsql/src/bin/psql/describe.c</I>. It contains
<SMALL>SQL</SMALL> commands that generate the output for psql's
backslash commands. You can also start <I>psql</I> with the
<I>-E</I> option so it will print out the queries it uses to
execute the commands you give.</P>
<P>Use the \dt command to see tables in <I>psql</I>. For a complete list of
commands inside psql you can use \?. Alternatively you can read the source
code for <I>psql</I> in file <I>pgsql/src/bin/psql/describe.c</I>, it
contains <SMALL>SQL</SMALL> commands that generate the output for
<I>psql</I>'s backslash commands. You can also start <I>psql</I> with the
<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
table, or change its data type?</H4>
......
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