Step 6: Installing Compiled Programs and Libraries

After you have configured and compiled the PostgreSQL source code, it is time to install the compiled libraries, binaries, and data files into a more appropriate home on the system. If you are upgrading from a previous version of PostgreSQL, be sure to back up your database before beginning this step. Information on performing PostgreSQL database backups can be found in Chapter 9.

Installation of the compiled files is accomplished with the commands demonstrated in Example 2-10. When executed in the manner shown in Example 2-10, the su command temporarily logs you in as the root user to execute the required commands. You must have the root password to execute both of the commands shown in Example 2-10.

$ 
su -c "gmake install"

Password:
gmake -C doc install
gmake[1]: Entering directory /usr/local/src/postgresql-7.1.3/doc'
mkdir /usr/local/pgsql
mkdir /usr/local/pgsql/man
mkdir /usr/local/pgsql/doc
mkdir /usr/local/pgsql/doc/html
[...]
$ 
su -c "chown -R postgres.postgres /usr/local/pgsql"

Password:  

The su -c "gmake install" command will install the freshly compiled source either into the directory structure you chose in Step 3 with the --prefix configuration option, or, if this was left unspecified, into the default directory of /usr/local/pgsql . The use of the su -c "chown -R postgres.postgres /usr/local/pgsql" command will ensure that the postgres user owns the PostgreSQL installation directories. Using the su -c command lets you save a step by only logging you in as the root user for the duration of the command’s execution.

If you chose to configure the PostgreSQL source with the Perl or Python interface, but did not have root access, you can still install the interfaces manually. Use the commands demonstrated in Example 2-11 to install the Perl and Python modules manually.

$ 
su -c "gmake -C src/interfaces/perl5 install"

Password:
Password:
gmake: Entering directory /usr/local/src/postgresql-7.1.3/src/interfaces/perl5'
perl Makefile.PL
Checking if your kit is complete...
Looks good
Writing Makefile for Pg
gmake -f Makefile clean
[...]
$ 
su -c "gmake -C src/interfaces/python install"

Password:
gmake: Entering directory /usr/local/src/postgresql-7.1.3/src/interfaces/python'                                                                  
sed -e 's,@libpq_srcdir@,../../../src/interfaces/libpq,g' \
    -e 's,@libpq_builddir@,../../../src/interfaces/libpq,g' \
    -e 's%@EXTRA_LIBS@% -lz -lcrypt -lresolv -lnsl -ldl -lm -lbsd -lreadline -ltermcap %g' \
    -e 's%@INCLUDES@%-I../../../src/include%g' \
[...]

You may also want to install the header files for PostgreSQL. This is important, because the default installation will only install the header files for client application development. If you are going to be using some of PostgreSQL's advanced functionality, such as user-defined functions or developing applications in C that use the libpq library, you will need this functionality. To install the required header files, perform the commands demonstrated in Example 2-12.

$ 
su -c "gmake install-all-headers"

Password:
gmake -C src install-all-headers
gmake[1]: Entering directory /usr/local/src/postgresql-7.1.3/src'
gmake -C include install-all-headers
[...]