Re: Debian/Ubuntu repository changes

Re: Joe Abbate 2013-02-22 <5127C420(dot)3020206(at)freedomcircle(dot)com>
> Sorry to bother you directly, but I decided to follow your
> recommendation to use the PGDG packages and now I see a difference in
> behavior. Before I used to have PG 8.4, 9.0, 9.1 and 9.2 running in
> ports 5432 through 5435 respectively and when I typed 'psql somedb'
> I'd get the 8.4 version. Now, I get the 9.2 version but connected to
> the 8.4 server and the customary warning. Even if I use 'psql
> --cluster 8.4/main somedb' I still get the 9.2 front-end, and the same
> applies to 9.0 and 9.1. How do I get my front-end to be in synch with
> my back-end, again?

Hi Joe,

this was a recent change in postgresql-common that was suggested by
the PostgreSQL people which will also be part of the next
Debian/Ubuntu releases. The reasoning is that you get a newer psql
binary with new features, but this is still compatible with the old
server. The warning there is a bit overzealous, it is aiming at
something like the following:

$ psql -p 5484
psql (9.2.3, server 8.4.15)
WARNING: psql version 9.2, server version 8.4.
Some psql features might not work.
Type "help" for help.

postgres =# \ddp
The server (version 8.4) does not support altering default privileges.

... while "\ddp" is still listed in the "\?" help output.

In practice, you shouldn't see any real problem with the 9.2 psql.

The "matching" psql is still available at
/usr/lib/postgresql/8.4/bin/psql.

Does that meet your needs?

Christoph
--
cb(at)df7cb(dot)de | http://www.df7cb.de/