diff --git a/doc/FAQ b/doc/FAQ index 4cb54486c27750199ecbd8f381390a1b6285a8d6..4bdea83d1196c964da07bf5a832fe769efb99009 100644 --- a/doc/FAQ +++ b/doc/FAQ @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ 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? diff --git a/doc/src/FAQ/FAQ.html b/doc/src/FAQ/FAQ.html index 80d61d3b34032de34a5c0cee2dae5ed4eab5d17a..4b6cba133ebf5cec65fcbeb5d77f3987f499ab97 100644 --- a/doc/src/FAQ/FAQ.html +++ b/doc/src/FAQ/FAQ.html @@ -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>