Re: Avoid duplicated rows when restoring data from pg_dumpall ??

Hi Pablo

> - As regards the duplicated rows, no, I don't get duplicated rows in
> all the tables stored in the database because
> some tables have primary-keys (and/or UNIQUE) constraints. These
> constraints don't allow the restore process to
> duplicate rows. In fact, it is a kind of "solution" I've tried...(add
> an extra column with a primary-key or unique constraint, to this
> tables), and it "works". The restore process doesn't generate
> duplicated rows, because the constraint does not allow the insertion
> of new duplicated data. Anyway..it looks like a kind of 'poor
> solution' :-)

Yeah, that's one solution, only trouble being if the data in the
existing table is different to what's in the restore script (for a
record with the same ID) it won't be updated.

e.g.: in this example your restored database will be inconsistent with
the backup.
your table: Field1 = 1 (ID), Field2 = A, Field3 = B
restore script: Field1 = 1 (ID), Field2 = B, Field3 = B

>
> - Ok, thanks for the info, I thought pg_dumpall would work as I
> desired even on non-empty clusters.
> Of course...if there is no previous data, the restore process will
> never create duplicated rows.

Exactly. If you're looking for some form of replication (i.e.
master-to-slave) look at Slony - it fires triggers on the master that
insert data into the slave. It has its limitations but AFAIK it's a
workable solution.
>
> - Yes, the restore process generates errors, because it tries to
> re-generate data structures that exist in the database server
> at that moment. Even if I delete my own databases, some errors will
> appear (because I cannot delete the internal stuff of
> of the server -> the 'postgres' database for example) . Those errors,
> could be ignored in most cases I think, but perhaps create a kind of
> "bad feeling" about the result of the restore process, or can "hide"
> other more important errors when you get a huge ammount of info on the
> screen either.

You can delete the "postgres" database - it's an empty database that's
created when the server is initialised so you've got something to
connect to. It's safe to delete, as long as you have another database
you can connect to, but there's no real reason to unless it's in your
restore script (e.g. from pg_dumpall.)

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.3/static/manage-ag-templatedbs.html

Regards,
Andy