Re: Win32 users?

Andreas wrote:

> So dere's what I did.
> 1) Figure out where your Postgres binaries ended up.
> Probaply in C:\Programs\PostgreSQL\8.0\bin
> 2) Right-click on the PC-icon on your desktop. It's called "my
> workplace" or something. Sorry, I have no English version.
> 3) Click on settings
> 4) Extended
> 5) The middle button is for the environment-variables
> 6) In the lower listbox "systemvariables" you should find "path"
> 7) select it and click the edit button
> 8) Append the Postgres-directory to the PATH-string ...bla...bla...
> ;C:\Programs\PostgreSQL\8.0\bin
> seperated by a ;
> 9) click OK and OK again
>
> The CMDs should have the extended path from now on.
> At least when you log out and in again. No reboot necesary.

Andreas, that is almost exactly what I did, before receiving your email. I'm a
PostgreSQL newbie but I've been around the block with databases and OSs a few
times (20+ years).

What I am surprised is that this is (apparently) not discussed in the manual or
the FAQ. The only indirect reference I found is in section 14.6.2 where it
states --in a Unix context-- that "you should add [the PostgreSQL bin directory]
into your PATH".

The lack of such a reference gives me the impression that, at this time, native
Win32 users are technically knowledgeable, because a real newbie may not figure
out how to address the "unrecognized command" createdb problem.

A related issue that I thought would be mentioned in the manuals/FAQ is where to
add the bin directory in the PATH. The 14.6.2 section, only by example, implies
it should be prepended to the PATH. However, you suggest it should be appended.
I know of one other database that has a 'createdb' command so if I were to
append it, it would still not find the PostgreSQL version. This again may
indicate the tech-savvy expected of PostgreSQL users.

Joe