PostgreSQL

The PostgreSQL Development Team

Edited by

Thomas Lockhart

PostgreSQL
is Copyright © 1996-9 by the Postgres Global Development Group.

Table of Contents

Summary

I. User's Guide

1. SQL Syntax

Key Words
Expressions

2. Data Types

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

3. Operators

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

4. Functions

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

5. Type Conversion

Overview
Operators
Functions
Query Targets
UNION Queries

6. Indices and Keys

7. Arrays

8. Inheritance

9. Multi-Version Concurrency Control

Introduction
Transaction Isolation
Read Committed Isolation Level
Serializable Isolation Level
Locking and Tables
Locking and Indices
Data consistency checks at the application level

10. Setting Up Your Environment

11. Managing a Database

Database Creation
Alternate Database Locations
Accessing a Database
Destroying a Database

12. Disk Storage

13. SQL Commands

ABORT — Aborts the current transaction
ALTER TABLE — Modifies table properties
ALTER USER — Modifies user account information
BEGIN — Begins a transaction in chained mode
CLOSE — Close a cursor
CLUSTER — Gives storage clustering advice to the backend
COMMIT — Commits the current transaction
COPY — Copies data between files and tables
CREATE AGGREGATE — Defines a new aggregate function
CREATE DATABASE — Creates a new database
CREATE FUNCTION — Defines a new function
CREATE INDEX — Constructs a secondary index
CREATE LANGUAGE — Defines a new language for functions
CREATE OPERATOR — Defines a new user operator
CREATE RULE — Defines a new rule
CREATE SEQUENCE — Creates a new sequence number generator
CREATE TABLE — Creates a new table
CREATE TRIGGER — Creates a new trigger
CREATE TYPE — Defines a new base data type
CREATE USER — Creates account information for a new user
CREATE VIEW — Constructs a virtual table
DECLARE — Defines a cursor for table access
DELETE — Deletes rows from a table
DROP AGGREGATE — Removes the definition of an aggregate function
DROP DATABASE — Destroys an existing database
DROP FUNCTION — Removes a user-defined C function
DROP INDEX — Removes an index from a database
DROP LANGUAGE — Removes a user-defined procedural language
DROP OPERATOR — Removes an operator from the database
DROP RULE — Removes an existing rule from the database
DROP SEQUENCE — Removes an existing sequence
DROP TABLE — Removes existing tables from a database
DROP TRIGGER — Removes the definition of a trigger
DROP TYPE — Removes a user-defined type from the system catalogs
DROP USER — Removes an user account information
DROP VIEW — Removes an existing view from a database
EXPLAIN — Shows statement execution details
FETCH — Gets rows using a cursor
GRANT — Grants access privilege to a user, a group or all users
INSERT — Inserts new rows into a table
LISTEN — Listen for notification on a notify condition
LOAD — Dynamically loads an object file
LOCK — Explicit lock of a table inside a transaction
MOVE — Moves cursor position
NOTIFY — Signals all frontends and backends listening on a notify condition
RESET — Restores run-time parameters for session to default values
REVOKE — Revokes access privilege from a user, a group or all users.
ROLLBACK — Aborts the current transaction
SELECT — Retrieve rows from a table or view.
SET — Set run-time parameters for session
SHOW — Shows run-time parameters for session
UNLISTEN — Stop listening for notification
UPDATE — Replaces values of columns in a table
VACUUM — Clean and analyze a Postgres database

14. Applications

createdb — Create a new Postgres database
createuser — Create a new Postgres user
destroydb — Remove an existing Postgres database
destroyuser — Destroy a Postgres user and associated databases
initdb — Create a new Postgres database installation
initlocation — Create a secondary Postgres database storage area
pgaccess — Postgres graphical interactive client
pgadmin — Postgres graphical interactive client
pg_dump — Extract a Postgres database into a script file
pg_dumpall — Extract all Postgres databases into a script file
postgres — Run a Postgres single-user backend
postmaster — Run the Postgres multi-user backend
psql — Postgres interactive client
vacuumdb — Clean and analyze a Postgres database

II. Administrator's Guide

15. Ports

Currently Supported Platforms
Unsupported Platforms

16. Configuration Options

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

17. System Layout

18. Installation

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

19. Installation on Win32

Building the libraries
Installing the libraries
Using the libraries

20. Runtime Environment

Using Postgres from Unix
Starting postmaster
Using pg_options

21. Security

User Authentication
User Names and Groups
Access Control
Functions and Rules

22. Adding and Deleting Users

23. Disk Management

Alternate Locations

24. Managing a Database

Creating a Database
Accessing a Database
Destroying a Database

25. Troubleshooting

Postmaster Startup Failures
Client Connection Problems
Debugging Messages

26. Database Recovery

27. Regression Test

Regression Environment
Directory Layout
Regression Test Procedure
Regression Analysis

28. Release Notes

Release 6.5
Release 6.4.2
Release 6.4.1
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

III. Programmer's Guide

29. Architecture

Postgres Architectural Concepts

30. Extending SQL: An Overview

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

31. Extending SQL: Functions

Query Language (SQL) Functions
Programming Language Functions

32. Extending SQL: Types

User-Defined Types

33. Extending SQL: Operators

Operator Optimization Information

34. Extending SQL: Aggregates

35. 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

36. Interfacing Extensions To Indices

37. GiST Indices

38. Linking Dynamically-Loaded Functions

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

39. Triggers

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

40. Server Programming Interface

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

41. Procedural Languages

Installing Procedural Languages
PL/pgSQL
PL/Tcl

IV. Interfaces

42. Functions

43. Large Objects

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

44. ecpg - Embedded SQL in C

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

45. libpq

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

46. libpq C++ Binding

Control and Initialization
libpq++ Classes
Database Connection Functions
Query Execution Functions
Asynchronous Notification
Functions Associated with the COPY Command
Caveats

47. pgtcl

Commands
Examples
pgtcl Command Reference Information

48. ODBC Interface

Background
Windows Applications
Unix Installation
Configuration Files
ApplixWare

49. 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

V. Developer's Guide

50. Overview of PostgreSQL Internals

The Path of a Query
How Connections are Established
The Parser Stage
The Postgres Rule System
Planner/Optimizer
Executor

51. pg_options

52. 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

53. Frontend/Backend Protocol

Overview
Protocol
Message Data Types
Message Formats

54. Postgres Signals

55. gcc Default Optimizations

56. Backend Interface

BKI File Format
General Commands
Macro Commands
Debugging Commands
Example

57. Page Files

Page Structure
Files
Bugs

VI. Tutorial

58. Introduction

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

59. SQL

The Relational Data Model
Relational Data Model Formalities
Operations in the Relational Data Model
The SQL Language

60. Architecture

Postgres Architectural Concepts

61. Getting Started

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

62. 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

63. Advanced Postgres SQL Features

Inheritance
Non-Atomic Values
Time Travel
More Advanced Features

VII. Appendices

UG1. Date/Time Support

Time Zones
History

DG1. The CVS Repository

CVS Tree Organization
Getting The Source Via Anonymous CVS
Getting The Source Via CVSup

DG2. Documentation

Documentation Roadmap
The Documentation Project
Documentation Sources
Building Documentation
Hardcopy Generation for v6.5
Toolsets
Alternate Toolsets

Bibliography

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