pgst - PostgreSQL SQL Tool v. 1.3
Copyright © 2004, Mike McKee

A useful but simple editor for PostgreSQL databases.

Was created in editable Python and Glade-2 files. Heavily uses the pgsql command set. I'd like to thank the people around the world who make PostgreSQL, Python, PyGTK, Glade, GNU Tools, and Linux possible. Without you I could not achieve anything. This is my reward back to you. My only resources were the Python and PyGTK html docs that came with RH9, some occasional review on groups.google.com, and the *.py files that RedHat uses for their control panels and other system tools. I am deeply indebted to RedHat for what crumbs they left behind for me so that I could learn this on my own.

You may change and re-release as commercial and customized versions per the license. See artistic license.

INSTALLATION
---------------
Hopefully you would install this program with ./install. However, if that fails for some reason, you may install by expanding setup.tar to a directory (~/apps/pgst for purposes here) and then creating a GNOME shortcut to the file ~/apps/pgst/pgst.sh.

NEWBIES TO POSTGRESQL
-----------------------
Unfortunately I don't have the room here to explain how to get PostgreSQL installed and configured for your initial access except by what's explained on the Help menu under Quick PostgreSQL Configuration. I also suggest reading the documentation with it or purchasing a book.

USING PASSWORDS ON DATABASE ACCOUNTS
-------------------------------------
>>>THIS IS NEW SINCE pgst v1.3<<<

The psql command, which we shell out and use through this pgst tool, does have a password prompt option that you can enable in your pg_hba.conf file by switching from "trust" authentication to "password" authentication. The problem for me as the programmer, however, is that I have found no way to pipe the password to the psql command. The makers of PostgreSQL, I guess, consider this a security advantage. MOST IMPORTANTLY, this is why you do not see this as an option when you try to connect to a server. Therefore, if you have enabled passwords on your PostgreSQL user accounts, then you'll want to utilize something called a ".pgpass" file in your home directory. The contents of this file are with a separate database/username combo on each line in the format:

host:port:database:username:password

Next, you must chmod this file as 0600 or it will not work properly.

If you implement this for the username you wish to use inside pgst's Connect Server dialog, then the psql command will work and will not prompt for password, thus prevent any errors you might have in pgst.


NEW FEATURES IN 1.2.1 RELEASE
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* GNOME shortcut now works by a fix in the install script.
* Now can see results in large or small font.
* Fixed bug (using workaround) with printing non-UTF-8 characters from SQL results.
* Added advice to the Help menu on how to configure PostgreSQL Stored Procedures.
* 'No Extra Line Wraps' menu, which is on by default. Provides ability to change \r\n sequence into printable characters.
* Field Editor. This was originally just to permit a way to edit a long text field, but then I realized that it could work for short text fields and numerical fields as well. This was also the one last reason why I was still using pgAdminIII and not completely using my tool. Now I can stick with my tool for just my tastes.

NEW FEATURES IN 1.2.2 RELEASE
-------------------------------
* Install improved. Now prompts where to install. Also can abort install with CTRL+C.
* Field Editor bug fix. There was a bug in that the spaces from the key value field in field editor were being inadvertantly removed. This is now repaired.

NEW FEATURES IN 1.3 RELEASE
-----------------------------
* Fixed application so that it works in Fedora (tested with FC2) as well as RH9 Linux regarding the popdown listboxes.
* Information on the password problem.

NOT IMPROVED IN THIS RELEASE
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Of particular note to you is that the printing features are sort of functional but are occasionally quirky. See BUGS.txt for more information on this and how YOU could potentially help me.

