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Documentation → PostgreSQL 6.4

Unsupported versions: 7.0 / 6.5 / 6.4

Historical version. PostgreSQL 6.4 reached end of support in October 2003. See the current manual for supported releases.

PostgreSQL

The PostgreSQL Development Team

Edited by

Thomas Lockhart

PostgreSQL is copyright (C) 1998 by the Postgres Global Development Group.

Table of Contents

I. Tutorial

1. Introduction

What is Postgres?
A Short History of Postgres
About This Release
Resources
Terminology
Notation
Y2K Statement
Copyrights and Trademarks

2. Architecture

Postgres Architectural Concepts

3. Getting Started

Setting Up Your Environment
Starting the Interactive Monitor (psql)
Managing a Database

4. The Query Language

Interactive Monitor
Concepts
Creating a New Class
Populating a Class with Instances
Querying a Class
Redirecting SELECT Queries
Joins Between Classes
Updates
Deletions
Using Aggregate Functions

5. Advanced Postgres SQL Features

Inheritance
Non-Atomic Values
Time Travel
More Advanced Features

II. User's Guide

6. Setting Up Your Environment

7. Managing a Database

Database Creation
Alternate Database Locations
Accessing a Database
Destroying a Database

8. Data Types

Numeric Types
Monetary Type
Character Types
Date/Time Types
Boolean Type
Geometric Types
IP Version 4 Networks and Host Addresses

9. Operators

Lexical Precedence
General Operators
Numerical Operators
Geometric Operators
Time Interval Operators
IP V4 Operators
IP V4 Operators

10. Functions

Mathematical Functions
String Functions
Date/Time Functions
Geometric Functions
IP V4 Functions

11. Type Conversion

Overview
Operators
Functions
Query Targets
UNION Queries

12. Indices and Keys

14. Inheritance

15. The Query Language

Concepts
Creating a New Class
Populating a Class with Instances
Querying a Class
Redirecting SELECT Queries
Joins Between Classes
Updates
Deletions
Using Aggregate Functions

16. Disk Storage

Paging To Screen

18. pgaccess

19. SQL Commands

20. Utility Applications

createdb
createuser
destroydb
destroyuser
initdb
initlocation
pg_dump
pg_dumpall
psql

III. Administrator's Guide

21. Introduction

Resources
Terminology
Notation
Y2K Statement
Copyrights and Trademarks

Currently Supported Platforms
Unsupported Platforms

23. Configuration Options

Parameters for Configuration (configure)
Parameters for Building (make)
Locale Support
Kerberos Authentication

24. Installation

Requirements to Run Postgres
Installation Procedure
Playing with Postgres
The Next Step
Porting Notes

25. Runtime Environment

Using Postgres from Unix

26. System Layout

27. Using pg_options

28. Starting postmaster

29. Adding and Deleting Users

30. Disk Management

Alternate Locations

31. Troubleshooting

32. Managing a Database

Creating a Database
Accessing a Database
Destroying a Database

33. Database Recovery

34. Regression Test

Regression Environment
Directory Layout
Regression Test Procedure
Regression Analysis

35. Release Notes

Release 6.4
Release 6.3.2
Release 6.3.1
Release 6.3
Release 6.2.1
Release 6.2
Release 6.1.1
Release 6.1
Release v6.0
Release v1.09
Release v1.02
Release v1.01
Release v1.0
Postgres95 Beta 0.03
Postgres95 Beta 0.02
Postgres95 Beta 0.01
Timing Results

IV. Programmer's Guide

36. Introduction

Resources
Terminology
Notation
Y2K Statement
Copyrights and Trademarks

37. Architecture

Postgres Architectural Concepts

38. Extending SQL: An Overview

How Extensibility Works
The Postgres Type System
About the Postgres System Catalogs

39. Extending SQL: Functions

Query Language (SQL) Functions
Programming Language Functions

40. Extending SQL: Types

User-Defined Types

41. Extending SQL: Operators

42. Extending SQL: Aggregates

43. The Postgres Rule System

What is a Querytree?
Views and the Rule System
Rules on INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE
Rules and Permissions
Rules versus Triggers

44. Interfacing Extensions To Indices

45. GiST Indices

46. Linking Dynamically-Loaded Functions

ULTRIX
DEC OSF/1
SunOS 4.x, Solaris 2.x and HP-UX

47. Triggers

Trigger Creation
Interaction with the Trigger Manager
Visibility of Data Changes
Examples

48. Server Programming Interface

Interface Functions
Interface Support Functions
Memory Management
Visibility of Data Changes
Examples

49. Procedural Languages

Installing Procedural Languages
PL/pgSQL
PL/Tcl

V. Interfaces

50. Functions

51. Large Objects

Historical Note
Inversion Large Objects
Large Object Interfaces
Built in registered functions
Accessing Large Objects from LIBPQ
Sample Program

52. ecpg - Embedded SQL in C

Why Embedded SQL?
The Concept
How To Use egpc
Limitations
Porting From Other RDBMS Packages
Installation
For the Developer

Database Connection Functions
Query Execution Functions
Asynchronous Query Processing
Fast Path
Asynchronous Notification
Functions Associated with the COPY Command
libpq Tracing Functions
libpq Control Functions
User Authentication Functions
Environment Variables
Caveats
Sample Programs

Commands
Examples
pgtcl Command Reference Information

55. ODBC Interface

Background
Windows Applications
Unix Installation
Configuration Files
ApplixWare

56. JDBC Interface

Building the JDBC Interface
Preparing the Database for JDBC
Using the Driver
Importing JDBC
Loading the Driver
Connecting to the Database
Issuing a Query and Processing the Result
Performing Updates
Closing the Connection
Using Large Objects
Postgres Extensions to the JDBC API
Further Reading

VI. Developer's Guide

57. Architecture

Postgres Architectural Concepts

58. Genetic Query Optimization in Database Systems

Query Handling as a Complex Optimization Problem
Genetic Algorithms (GA)
Genetic Query Optimization (GEQO) in Postgres
Future Implementation Tasks for Postgres GEQO

59. Frontend/Backend Protocol

Overview
Protocol
Message Data Types
Message Formats

60. Postgres Signals

61. gcc Default Optimizations

62. Backend Interface

BKI File Format
General Commands
Macro Commands
Debugging Commands
Example

63. Page Files

Page Structure
Files
Bugs

VII. Appendices

A. Documentation

Documentation Roadmap
Documentation Sources
The Documentation Project
Building Documentation
Hardcopy Generation for v6.4
Toolsets
Alternate Toolsets

B. Contacts

SQL References

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