Re: For the ametures. (related to "Are we losing momentum?") - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

Dave Page wrote:
> > -    They have extensive backup support.  Including now,
> > concurrent backup
> > without user interuption or risk of inconsistency.
>
> So does PostgreSQL (pg_dump/pg_dumpall).

I have applied the following doc patch to the pg_dump documentation to
more clearly state that it can do consistent backups during concurrent
access --- too many people weren't seeing that capability.

--
  Bruce Momjian                        |  http://candle.pha.pa.us
  pgman@candle.pha.pa.us               |  (610) 359-1001
  +  If your life is a hard drive,     |  13 Roberts Road
  +  Christ can be your backup.        |  Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073
Index: pg_dump.sgml
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/pgsql-server/doc/src/sgml/ref/pg_dump.sgml,v
retrieving revision 1.60
diff -c -c -r1.60 pg_dump.sgml
*** pg_dump.sgml    25 Mar 2003 16:15:42 -0000    1.60
--- pg_dump.sgml    17 Apr 2003 15:34:16 -0000
***************
*** 33,74 ****
    </title>

    <para>
!    <application>pg_dump</application> is a utility for saving a
!    <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> database into a script or an
!    archive file.  The script files are in plain-text format and
!    contain the SQL commands required to reconstruct the database to
!    the state it was in at the time it was saved.  To restore these
!    scripts, use <xref linkend="app-psql">.  They can be used to
!    reconstruct the database even on other machines and other
!    architectures, with some modifications even on other SQL database
!    products.
    </para>

    <para>
!    Furthermore, there are alternative archive file formats
!    that are meant to be used with <xref linkend="app-pgrestore"> to
!    rebuild the database, and they also allow
!    <application>pg_restore</application> to be selective about what is
!    restored, or even to reorder the items prior to being restored. The
!    archive files are also designed to be portable across
     architectures.
    </para>

    <para>
     When used with one of the archive file formats and combined with
!    <application>pg_restore</application>, <application>pg_dump</application> provides a
!    flexible archival and
     transfer mechanism. <application>pg_dump</application> can be used to
!    backup an entire database, then <application>pg_restore</application> can
!    be used to examine the archive and/or select which parts of the
!    database are to be restored.
!    The most flexible output file format is the <quote>custom</quote>
!    format (<option>-Fc</option>). It allows for selection and
!    reordering of all archived items, and is compressed by default. The
!    <application>tar</application> format (<option>-Ft</option>) is not
!    compressed and it is not possible to reorder data when loading, but
!    it is otherwise quite flexible; moreover, it can be manipulated with
!    other tools such as <command>tar</command>.
    </para>

    <para>
--- 33,79 ----
    </title>

    <para>
!    <application>pg_dump</application> is a utility for backing up a
!    <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> database. It makes consistent
!    backups even if the database is being used concurrently.
!    <application>pg_dump</application> does not block other users
!    accessing the database (readers or writers).
    </para>

    <para>
!    Dumps can be output in script or archive file formats. The script
!    files are in plain-text format and contain the SQL commands required
!    to reconstruct the database to the state it was in at the time it was
!    saved. To restore these scripts, use <xref linkend="app-psql">. They
!    can be used to reconstruct the database even on other machines and
!    other architectures, with some modifications even on other SQL
!    database products.
!   </para>
!
!   <para>
!    The alternative archive file formats that are meant to be used with
!    <xref linkend="app-pgrestore"> to rebuild the database, and they also
!    allow <application>pg_restore</application> to be selective about
!    what is restored, or even to reorder the items prior to being
!    restored. The archive files are also designed to be portable across
     architectures.
    </para>

    <para>
     When used with one of the archive file formats and combined with
!    <application>pg_restore</application>,
!    <application>pg_dump</application> provides a flexible archival and
     transfer mechanism. <application>pg_dump</application> can be used to
!    backup an entire database, then <application>pg_restore</application>
!    can be used to examine the archive and/or select which parts of the
!    database are to be restored. The most flexible output file format is
!    the <quote>custom</quote> format (<option>-Fc</option>). It allows
!    for selection and reordering of all archived items, and is compressed
!    by default. The <application>tar</application> format
!    (<option>-Ft</option>) is not compressed and it is not possible to
!    reorder data when loading, but it is otherwise quite flexible;
!    moreover, it can be manipulated with other tools such as
!    <command>tar</command>.
    </para>

    <para>
***************
*** 77,88 ****
     light of the limitations listed below.
    </para>

-   <para>
-    <application>pg_dump</application> makes consistent backups even if the
-    database is being used concurrently.  <application>pg_dump</application>
-    does not block other users accessing the database (readers or
-    writers).
-   </para>
   </refsect1>

   <refsect1 id="pg-dump-options">
--- 82,87 ----