Re: FAQ_MSWIN patch: clarify instructions

Hi Jason, et al:

What the reply calls "extraneous detail" are details that tripped me up --
and as I can see from being on this list for just a few days, several
other people as well.

After grep'ing for some phrases you've mentioned, I see now see that part
of the confusion is the multiplicity of readme and faq files.

/usr/share/doc/Cygwin/postgresql-7.4.README
/usr/share/doc/postgresql-7.4/README
/usr/share/doc/postgresql-7.4/FAQ_MSWIN
/usr/share/doc/postgresql-7.4/INSTALL
...etc...

Now I see most of the extraneous things I suggested are contained in
postgresql-7.4.README.

This brings up the following...

None of these files -- including specific locations and names -- are
mentioned by the docs at http://www.postgresql.org/docs/

Each of these documents make vague references to the other documents,
rather than providing exact names. Also, these references are made only
in some circumstances, not all that are relevant -- or perhaps better, up
at the top of each document.

The documents contain overlapping information.

It seems FAQ_MSWIN is superfluous. The bits of information there that
aren't in postgresql-7.4.README should be moved to postgresql-7.4.README.

Here are some replies to specific points...

On Mon, Dec 01, 2003 at 10:49:09AM -0500, Jason Tishler wrote:
> On Thu, Nov 27, 2003 at 01:13:34AM -0500, Daniel Convissor wrote:
> > - 3c. Start up the postmaster. Use a command similar to the
> > - following:
> > + You must be logged on as the user that installed Cygwin in
> > + order for this command to work.
>
> The above is not true if your Cygwin environment is set up correctly.
> Unfortunately, a change in Windows security and a deficiency in Cygwin's
> setup.exe exacerbates this problem.

Please elaborate. Also, the FAQ should elaborate.

> > + When referring to paths outside of Cygwin's root, PostgreSQL
> > + expects the paths to use the "/cygdrive/<drive>/<dir>" syntax
> > + rather than the Windows like syntax of "<drive>:/<dir>."
> > + Example:
> > +
> > + /cygdrive/d/pgsql/data
>
> IMO, the above is extraneous detail.

But it's not. Some programs under Cygwin need the "c:/dir" syntax and
others need the "/cygdrive/d/dir" syntax. This issue caused me to waste
time during my install. I'm sure other people have and will continue to
needlessly waste their time too. There's no reason for this to happen
when it can be quickly explained here.

$ initdb -D d:/pgfoo
The files belonging to this database system will be owned by user "droot".
This user must also own the server process.

The database cluster will be initialized with locale C.

creating directory d:/pgfoo... ok
creating directory d:/pgfoo/base... ok
creating directory d:/pgfoo/global... ok
creating directory d:/pgfoo/pg_xlog... ok
creating directory d:/pgfoo/pg_clog... ok
selecting default max_connections... 10
selecting default shared_buffers... 50
creating configuration files... ok
creating template1 database in d:/pgfoo/base/1... FATAL:
"/home/droot/d:/pgfoo"
is not a valid data directory
DETAIL: File "/home/droot/d:/pgfoo/PG_VERSION" is missing.

initdb: failed
initdb: removing data directory "d:/pgfoo"

> > - postmaster -D /usr/local/pgsql/data
> > + 3c. Set the PGDATA environment variable. Example commands would be:
> > +
> > + PGDATA=/usr/local/pgsql/data
> > + export PGDATA
> > +
> > + 3d. Start up the server:
> > +
> > + pg_ctl start
>
> IMO, the above is only a "style" change.

Yeah. But doesn't learning this style here makes long term usage easier?

Thanks,

--Dan

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