How to install postgresql on FreeBSD

Question

Here is a step-by-step description of what I am doing

• cd /usr/ports/databases/postgresql91-server/
• make install clean
• adding postgresql_enable="YES" to /etc/rc.conf
• trying to start sudo /usr/local/etc/rc.d/postgresql onsestart.

After all of these steps, however, I still get the message:

postgres cannot access the server configuration file "/usr/local/pgsql/data/postgresql.conf": No such file or directory

What step am I missing?

Solution

You need to run initdb before you can use a postgres server. This can't be done for you as it would destroy your existing database if you were doing an upgrade.

/usr/local/etc/rc.d/postgresql initdb will do what you need if you are using a FreeBSD port, otherwise see the initdb man page.

(Also note that the port's post-install message tells you this - The messages ports print out after you run make install are generally important :)

Comments

[shabunc]

@Shads0 - i'm not a seasoned BSD user at all, but as far as I understand this very file (which is missing) should be created by the launcher with respect to the postgresql_enable="YES" in rc.conf

[shabunc]

shame on me, you are right, i should read whatever the terminal says more carefully.

[voretaq7]

The first clobbering is free :) (I'm also a little touchy about it because I maintain a few ports - we really do try hard to include all the important stuff in those post-install messages…)