HOWTO: PostgreSQL & Perl DBD on SuSE 7.3

After some trial-and-error, this installation sequence worked for
me...

INSTRUCTIONS: PostgreSQL and Perl DBD on SuSE 7.3

1. Install the following using YaST2:
(Suggestion: Install each line-item below in a separate YaST2
session.)

- Development/Libraries/Perl: perl-DBI
- Applications/Databases: all postgresql modules
- Development Libraries: postgresql-devl

2. Setup directories and paths for PostgreSQL:

> su - (change to root)

Setup disk directory for your db:
# mkdir /var/lib/pgsql/data
# chown postgres /var/lib/pgsql/data

- Put PostgreSQL path /usr/local/pgsql/bin into PATH in
/etc/profile.local

3. Initialize the database, start it, and test it:

# /usr/local/pgsql/bin/initdb -D /var/lib/pgsql/data
# rcpostgresql start

Quick-test the server:
# su postgres
> psql -d template1
\q to exit psql
Setup another db user:
> createuser <db-user> (should matach an existing Linux user)
Shall the new user be able to create databases? (y/n) y
Shall the new user be able to create new users? (y/n) n

Note: SuSE 7.3 appears to have a Pg DBD, but I could not get it to
work,
so...

4. Verify the existence of the following, which are required for the
DBD:

- /usr/include/pgsql/libpq-fe.h
- /usr/lib/libpq.so

5. Manually download DBD::Pg from www.CPAN.org .

6. Expand and examine the downloaded components:

- su to the <db-user> you setup for db access, but NOT root!
- Expand DBD-Pg-1.01.tar.gz into your favorite directory.
- Read the README file.

7. Prepare for the build:

> PATH=.:$PATH
> export POSTGRES_INCLUDE=/usr/include/pgsql
> export POSTGRES_LIB=/usr/lib

8. Try the build:

> perl Makefile.PL
> make
- Verify no errors from the make.
> make test
- Verify all "ok" from the make test.

9. Do the final DBD install:

> su - (and cd back to the build directory, if necessary)
# make install

DBD-Pg is installed!

--
Reed White - ALTA RESEARCH - www.alta-research.com
Phone: 877-360-2582 - Email: alta(at)alta-research(dot)comINSTALLATION