PostgreSQL

QGIS uses the latest features of PostgreSQL. For this reason, version 7.4.x or higher is recommended with QGIS version 0.5. If you choose to add PostgreSQL, you must also install PostGIS and the GEOS library (see below).

1. Download PostgreSQL source from www.postgresql.org
2. Extract the source

     tar -xzf postgresql-7.4.1.tar.gz
   

3. Change to the source directory

     cd postgresql-7.4.1
   

4. Configure PostgreSQL:

     ./configure --prefix=/usr/local/pgsql
   

5. Build

     make
   

6. Install

     make install
   

7. As root, create the postgres user and setup the database (following taken from PostgreSQL INSTALL file with modification)
   • Create the postgres user

       adduser postgres
     

   • Create the directory for the PostgreSQL database

       mkdir /usr/local/pgsql/data
     

   • Change ownership of the data directory to the postgres user

       chown postgres /usr/local/pgsql/data
     

   • su to the postgres user (or login as postgres)

       su - postgres
     

   • Change to the PostgreSQL install directory

       cd /usr/local/pgsql
     

   • Initialize the database

       ./bin/initdb -D /usr/local/pgsql/data
     

   • Start the PostgreSQL daemon

       ./bin/pg_ctl start  -o "-i" -D /usr/local/pgsql/data -l /home/postgres/serverlog
     

   • Create the test database

       ./bin/createdb test
     

8. PostgreSQL should now be running. Logon as the postgres user (or use su - postgres). You should be able to connect to the test database and execute a test query with the following commands:

     psql test
     select version();
     version
     -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     PostgreSQL 7.4.1 on i686-pc-linux-gnu, compiled by GCC gcc (GCC) 3.3.1 (SuSE Linux)
   (1 row)
   
     \q
   

9. PostgreSQL install is done