ANN: PgBrowser 1.0

PgBrowser is a postgresql database browser written in a more
or less platform independent fashion. I appears to work in
a Mac OSX environment, Linux, and Windows. The program is
written in Tcl/Tk. The program includes LJ Bayuk's Pgintcl
driver that is used if the Pgtcl 1.5 or greater driver cannot
be found. Thus no postgresql software need be present on
the users pc.

The homepage for PgBrowser is:

http://homepage.mac.com/levanj/TckTk

Feedback and enhancements are welcome.

Here are the enhancements from version 0.9:
Version 1.0 Enhancements (Nov 3 2004)

This version adds a number of enhancements.

o The ability to use psql (if present). If psql is found, psql
meta-commands
starting with a "\" in the *first* character position are directly
routed
to psql for execution. The results are added to the SQL window. In
addition
if there is a selection in the SQL window, the menu item "Send
Selection To
Psql" under the File menu will send the selection to psql for
execution. The
results will be posted in the SQL window.
Note: Arbitrary (output only) shell commands can be executed from the
SQL window by the sequence "\! <shell command>"

o The File menu has an item "Display null as <NULL>". When checked,
null fields
will be displayed in the grid as <NULL> otherwise null fields are
displayed
as empty strings. The check mark toggles with menu item selection.

o The File menu has an item "Send Single Statements". When checked the
program
will attempt to parse the string being sent to the backend into
individual
statements and send each statement. If unchecked the entire string is
sent to the backend in one shot. Note the parsing algorithm is rather
crude.
A semicolon is deemed to be a statement seperator if it not preceeded
by
an odd number of single quotes ( don't use \' use '' ). Checkmark is
toggled
by selection of the item.

o The File menu has an item "Show Long Fields". When checked the
program will
attempt to load the entire field into the display grid. This can be
problematic when the database contains bytea columns containing a large
amount of data (think digital photos). If unchecked and the field
length
is more than 200 characters then then string "LoNgFiElD:<nnn>" will be
displayed. The <nnn> will be replaced by the actual length of the
field.
See below for a method that will, in many cases, allow the user to see
the actual contents of the field. The checkmark is toggled by selecting
the item.

o There is a contextual menu available for the Selection Results grid.
The
menu is invoked by a <control-Button-1> click somewhere in the grid.
Selecting one of the menu items will control how the contents of the
selected field will be displayed ( the selected field is where the
mouse is when control-clicked). The field will be displayed in a
separate
window. This window must be dismissed before another item can be
viewed.

The menu items are:
o View As Text
The field is assumed to be plain text and the entire contents
of the field will be displayed.
o View As Bytea Text
The field is assumed to be plain text stored as a bytea object.
The entire contents will be "decoded" and displayed.
o View As Large Object Text
The field is assumed to be the "oid" of a large object containing
text. The contents will be fetched and displayed.
o View As Bytea Image
The field is assumed to be an "image" stored in a bytea field.
The image will displayed in a new window. Image means anything
supported by the Img package.
o View As Large Object Image
The field is assumed to be the "oid" of a large object containing
an image. The image will be fetched and displayed.
o Export Bytea Field...
The field is assumed to be a bytea field. The user will be able
to specify and store the contents in a file.
o Export Large Object Field...
The field is assumed to be the "oid" of a large object. The user
will be able to specify and store the contents in a file.

Enjoy,

Jerry