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-$PostgreSQL: pgsql/doc/src/sgml/runtime.sgml,v 1.262 2004/04/22 04:18:37 momjian Exp $
+$PostgreSQL: pgsql/doc/src/sgml/runtime.sgml,v 1.263 2004/04/29 04:37:09 tgl Exp $
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<Chapter Id="runtime">
which will leave the server running in the foreground. This must be
done while logged into the <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> user
account. Without <option>-D</option>, the server will try to use
- the data directory in the environment variable <envar>PGDATA</envar>.
- If neither of these succeed, it will fail.
+ the data directory named by the environment variable <envar>PGDATA</envar>.
+ If that variable is not provided either, it will fail.
</para>
<para>
- To start the <command>postmaster</command> in the
- background, use the usual shell syntax:
+ Normally it is better to start the <command>postmaster</command> in the
+ background. For this, use the usual shell syntax:
<screen>
$ <userinput>postmaster -D /usr/local/pgsql/data >logfile 2>&1 &</userinput>
</screen>
- It is an important to store the server's <systemitem>stdout</> and
+ It is important to store the server's <systemitem>stdout</> and
<systemitem>stderr</> output somewhere, as shown above. It will help
for auditing purposes and to diagnose problems. (See <xref
linkend="logfile-maintenance"> for a more thorough discussion of log
<para>
Normally, you will want to start the database server when the
computer boots.<indexterm><primary>booting</><secondary>starting
- the server during</></> Autostart scripts are operating
- system-specific. There are a few distributed with
+ the server during</></> Autostart scripts are operating-system-specific.
+ There are a few distributed with
<productname>PostgreSQL</productname> in the
- <filename>contrib/start-scripts</> directory. This may require root
- privileges.
+ <filename>contrib/start-scripts</> directory. Installing one will require
+ root privileges.
</para>
<para>
</para>
<para>
- Here are a few more operating system specific suggestions. (Always
- replace these with the proper installation directory and the user
- name.)
+ Here are a few more operating-system-specific suggestions. (In each
+ case be sure to use the proper installation directory and user
+ name where we show generic values.)
<itemizedlist>
<listitem>