Re: newbie question

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Russell Aspinwall [mailto:russell(dot)aspinwall(at)flomerics(dot)co(dot)uk]
>Sent: woensdag 17 oktober 2007 11:37
>To: Joris Dobbelsteen
>Subject: Re: [GENERAL] newbie question
>
>Joris Dobbelsteen wrote:
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: pgsql-general-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org
>>> [mailto:pgsql-general-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org] On Behalf Of Russell
>>> Aspinwall
>>> Sent: woensdag 17 oktober 2007 9:34
>>> To: pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org
>>> Subject: [GENERAL] newbie question
>>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> [snip] For example, if you had a
>>> built a database and application using version 3 and then upgraded
>>> the version 7, it was possible to set the database configuration to
>>> version 3 and then continue to use the same database and
>applications
>>> without having to dump the database tables and data then
>import them
>>> into a version 7 database or update applications.
>>> Does this feature exist in ProgreSQL, can a v8 access a database
>>> created using v7?
>>>
>>
>> No it cannot. You must perform a dump and restore.
>>
>> Also note that between different architectures (and
>sometimes between
>> different compiles) the file format might also be different.
>> See also:
>>
>http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.1/interactive/install-upgrading.html.
>>
>> However all queries running on v7 should work on v8. The application
>> should not require any modifications. In practice you should, of
>> course, test that before putting it into production.
>
>Thank you for the reply, could this feature be added in future?
>

That's not a question for me, but rather for the people who spend a lot
of time creating this excellent database server.

Nevertheless, given that it:

* significantly complicates the software
* might hinder (some) new features to be implemented
* there is little demand, hence nobody is willing to spend the
incredible amount of time on programming & maintenance
* Binary format already differs between different processor
architectures/compliations
* the SQL interface itself already shouldn't change (so from the
application point of view)

I would say that such a feature is highly unlikely that it will be added
in the foreseeable future.

A more likely feature is inplace/live (whatever you call it) upgrades of
the data to a newer version.

- Joris