HyperLeda: Installation with a provided database server

If a Postgres server is yet running on your machine, it would be an advantage to reuse it (reduce the load on the machine). If you still prefer to have a separate new server (this is the simplest) you may still have to instruct Pleinpot to use a free port for the connections with the server, because the default Postgres port may be yet used by the existing server.
Possibly you can also wish to use the HyperLeda database installed in another Pleinpot installation, on the local host or through IP connection (for example to save disk space)... In these cases you must read the following.

There are three levels to consider in what is installed in the current installation:

1. The postgres software (libraries, client and database backend).
2. The database server process (postmaster) and the database storage area.
3. The data stored in the database.

Software installation

          cd ${PL_ROOT}
          unix/configure

• If Postgres is found on the platform:

            checking for psql... /usr/local/bin/psql
            checking for pg_config... pg_config
  

• If Postgres is not found, or is not valid for Pleinpot:

            postgresSQL will be installed by Pleinpot
  

  which would mean that Pleinpot will download and install Postgres. If Postgres is actually available but not found by Pleinpot, it may probably be that it is not installed in a standard place. Put the directory where the Postgres executables are installed on your PATH. (eg. setenv PATH "$PATH:/home/postgres/bin"). To make the diagnostics, Pleinpot is looking for the programs psql and pg_config, the latter is used to find where the libraries and includes are located. If finally Pleinpot refuses to find your version of Postgres, you may leave it install its own version. The configuration script also check if the Postgres version is compatible with the one used by Pleinpot: Since version 8.8 Pleinpot is using Postgres 7.4.2, it is compatible with 7.4 branch.

Server and database

To use a database and a server which is yet running outside of your new Pleinpot installation, you have to give the name of the database, and possibly the port, to the configure program. The following options must be used:

• --with-db-external[=ip]
  Indicates that the database is provided from another installation, either local (if ip is not given) or remote. If the database is to be accessed through TCP/IP connection, the parameter ip is the IP address of the distant host.
  send a mail to leda@univ-lyon1.fr to ask for the IP number of an host you can use
  If you use an external database, you must have initialized the database cluster (with the Postgres command initdb), created the database (with createdb) and the users for administration and consultation. Note that if you provide a database cluster, the routine maintenance procedure of Pleinpot will not VACUUM and REINDEX the system tables of the database, this is your responsibility of doing this (this may be critical for performances)
  If this option is not given, or if --without-db-external[=ip] is given the database cluster will be owned and managed by Pleinpot.
  Furthermore the database cluster is identified by its port number (see --with-postgres-port) and the database by its name (see --with-db-name).
• --with-postgres-port=PORT By default Pleinpot will try to connect to the server on port 5432 (the Postgres default). If you provide a server already running on a different port or if you wish that Pleinpot starts a new server and the default port is occupied, you must tell the port number, for example:

          unix/configure --with-postgres-port=5433
  

  You may see the postgres servers actually running as:

          netstat -an | grep PGSQL
  

  If you do not know if this option is required, just proceed without. You may return to configure later, if the installation procedure tells you you have to choose a different port.
  To change the port number after Pleinpot is installed, do: (i) make hlstop, (ii) unix/configure [options] --with-postgres-port=nnnn (where nnnn is the new port number), (iii) make hlstart.
• --with-db-name=NAME Specifies the name NAME of the database. By default or if the option is not given, Pleinpot will assume the name hl.