Re: Q on requirement to connect to a specific DB

From: Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us>
To: kynn(at)panix(dot)com
Cc: pgsql-novice(at)postgresql(dot)org
Subject: Re: Q on requirement to connect to a specific DB
Date: 2006-05-15 01:31:28
Message-ID: 17844.1147656688@sss.pgh.pa.us
Views: Raw Message | Whole Thread | Download mbox | Resend email
Thread:
Lists: pgsql-novice

<kynn(at)panix(dot)com> writes:
> As far as I know I must connect to *some*
> database, whose role is irrelevant, just so that I can execute "CREATE
> DATABASE ..." from that connection.

Correct.

> I find this puzzling from a design perspective. Why involve some
> irrelevant DB in the process of creating a new one?

Because the backend can't operate without a set of system catalogs
to interrogate. We could maybe have a dummy database that had no
other purpose than to be connected to for specific commands ...
oh wait, that's pretty much what we do have.

> If so, what is the "canonical" database to connect to? (Is this the
> purpose of "template1"?)

Pre-8.1, that was the usual convention, but as of 8.1 we manufacture
an additional "standard" database named "postgres", and that's the
recommended connection target if you have no better alternative.
The reason for the change is that "template1" has the additional
function of being the default database-to-clone for CREATE DATABASE,
and there was too much conflict between those two uses.

regards, tom lane

In response to

Browse pgsql-novice by date

  From Date Subject
Next Message Robert Landsmeer 2006-05-15 06:42:49 Re: Wondering if anyone could help me
Previous Message Sean Davis 2006-05-15 00:40:57 Re: Q on requirement to connect to a specific DB