need help

Hi Meena,

you'll find the answers to your question in the postgres doc's. I'd suggest
reading at least the Tutorial
(http://www.postgresql.org/idocs/index.php?tutorial.html). Some basic
concepts (postmaster, clients, architecture of postgres) are explained
there.
Answers to your questions about the postmaster process and users can be
found at the adminsitrators guide
(http://www.postgresql.org/idocs/index.php?admin.html) and the reference
manual (http://www.postgresql.org/idocs/index.php?reference.html)

I'll put some basic answers just here.

----- Original Message -----
From: " meena nimmagadda" <meenahere@lycos.com>
Subject: [GENERAL] need help

Hi! I have some doubts on Postgres....
Once we start a Postmaster process, will it keep running forever? How can

we restart/stop??(the commands???)
Yes, postmaster will run forever ... at least as long as you don't stop it.
You can use pg_ctl for starting and stoping the postmaster.
(http://www.postgresql.org/idocs/index.php?app-pg-ctl.html)

Also, should we start the Postmaster only as the "postgres" superuser???

Yes, because this "masterprocess" is just a server. Other users can connect
to the database via clientapplications.

Is it possible to have users for postgres database also....like in

linux....we have users?
Yes. You can create new users with createuser
(http://www.postgresql.org/idocs/index.php?app-createuser.html).

What is the importance of users and superuser?

Users can connect to the database and retrieve / insert data (if this rights
are granted to the user). A superuser can create databases and other users.

After I start Postmaster process, I am getting the following error:
SetUserId: user 'postgres' is not in 'pg_shadow'.
What does it mean? How do I avoid it? Because of this,I am not able to

create a database......after starting postmaster process.

You don't have a DB-user "postgres". Although this should have been done
automatically during installation, you can create the user with the
createuser command.

Did you do "initdb"?
I suggest you read man pages:
man initdb
man postmaster
man pg_ctl
man createdb
man createuser
and PostgreSQL documentation in general.

If you are not able to solve the problem, please make a further post giving
details like:
PostgreSQL version you are using
Platform (OS etc)
Whether you installed using a package, or compiled from source
Any configure options you used

----- Original Message -----
From: " meena nimmagadda" <meenahere@lycos.com>
To: <pgsql-general@postgresql.org>
Sent: Friday, September 07, 2001 11:01 AM
Subject: [GENERAL] need help

Hi! I have some doubts on Postgres....
Once we start a Postmaster process, will it keep running forever? How can

we restart/stop??(the commands???)

Also, should we start the Postmaster only as the "postgres" superuser???

Is it possible to have users for postgres database also....like in
linux....we have users? What is the importance of users and superuser?

After I start Postmaster process, I am getting the following error:
SetUserId: user 'postgres' is not in 'pg_shadow'.
What does it mean? How do I avoid it? Because of this,I am not able to

create a database......after starting postmaster process.

Once we start a Postmaster process, will it keep

running forever?

It will if you run it in background like

postmaste -i -D /home/mydir/pgsql-database-dir &

How can we restart/stop??(the commands???)

The preferred command might be pg_ctl that comes
along with postgresql distribution:

pg_ctl start
pg_ctl stop

killing the postmaster process (kill <pid>) also
works although this approach is not recommended.

Also, should we start the Postmaster only as the

"postgres" superuser???

I would say this is a management issue and it is you
who decide whether to start postmaster by postgres or
not. I have not seen in the document saying that this
is the only way to go.

Is it possible to have users for postgres database

also....like in linux....we have users?

Yes. you can define users somewhere. The document
already explains.

CN

CN

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