Newby to DB

Bob,

On May 31, 2005, at 3:24 PM, Bob Pawley wrote:

I'm a new user to Postgresql.
 
I've installed it as an application in Windows. My intent is to gain
experience in using sql to build a database.
 
I'm having problems understanding how to begin.
 
When I start the database is there any indicator that it is actually
running?
 
Do I need to add a server to access the database?
 
If so, what properties do I enter into the add server interface to add
a server? Everything I've tried so far has been rejected.

If you did not choose the "Install as a Service" option, I highly
recommend that you uninstall and then reinstall using this option. It
will create the database cluster for you and make sure that PostgreSQL
is running when you start the machine. You can use the services control
panel to check the status of the server.

John DeSoi, Ph.D.
http://pgedit.com/
Power Tools for PostgreSQL

On Jun 1, 2005, at 11:52 AM, Bob Pawley wrote:

Dear Mr. DeSoi

Thank you for responding.

I originally installed it as a service. However, I wasn't able to make
the connection to the server. (I am assuming the red X next to the
server name means that it is off.)

Thinking there might be a bug, I uninstalled and installed a slightly
different version.

With the second install, trying to set up a service, I got error
messages that the server already existed. I again uninstalled and
manually cleared all of the residual components I could find. It
didn't help. The install still gives me errors when I attempt to make
the program a service.

Hence, the application option.

Ok, if you want to start manually, the relevant information is in the
first three sections of this chapter:

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.0/interactive/runtime.html

If it still does not work for you, show the exact commands you are
typing and the error output. Also be sure to check the server log file
for hints on why the server is not starting.

John DeSoi, Ph.D.
http://pgedit.com/
Power Tools for PostgreSQL