Re: how to install just client libraries on windows? - Mailing list pgsql-general

Dave Page wrote:

> On Tue, Dec 1, 2009 at 1:52 AM, raf <raf@raf.org> wrote:
> > hi,
> >
> > i just tried to upgrade libpq.dll on windows and couldn't
> > work out how to do it. in the past, with 8.3.x, i knew i had
> > to download the entire server even though i only wanted
> > the client but at least i was able to install just the
> > client software.
> >
> > now, with 8.4 (enterprisedb one click installer), i tried
> > to deselect what looked like server-related options and
> > kept the client-related options selected but the installer
> > kept telling me that something i had selected required
> > the server to also be selected. i had to unselected all of the
> > options before that error went away. since none of the options
> > was just the client library i thought there was a remote
> > chance that it might make some sense especially when the
> > installer happily proceeded with the installation process
> > even though no components were selected. i figured it must
> > know something i didn't :-)
> >
> > anyway, all that was installed was the stackbuilder.
> > there was no PostgresPlus/8.4SS/bin/libpq.dll as i
> > had expected.
> >
> > so, what have i done wrong? how do i use the one click
> > installer to just install libpq.dll? i don't mind installing
> > other client software along with it. i just don't want the
> > server installed. should i install the server and client
> > software and then uninstall the server software?
>
> You've installed Postgres Plus Standard Server, not the PostgreSQL
> one-click installer.

ok but that's not really relevant. i just tried the non-plus
version and it also wouldn't let me install just the client
software. it assumed that i wanted to install the server.

the 8.3 postgres plus standard server let me install
just client software. the 8.4 one doesn't. that means
there is no client installer for windows anymore.
that seems like a mistake to me.

<aside>
not only that, but on a windows host on which i had
installed the 8.3 client and server software, when i
uninstalled the server leaving the client software behind,
the client software was no longer complete and couldn't
be used (i.e. python's pygresql module failed to load
even though libpq.dll was there because something else
wasn't there). i had to rsync files over from another
host that had only had the client software installed.
</aside>

it seems that the client software is being treated as
a second class citizen or worse.

> The easiest way to just get libpq and the
> supporting libraries would be from the tarball distros:
> http://www.enterprisedb.com/products/pgbindownload.do
>
> Just extract, and grab the DLLs.

thanks but no thanks. i can see where this might lead.
i don't know what files are needed and what ones aren't.
it probably won't just be the dlls that are needed and
i'll waste half a day experimenting to see what's really
needed. plus it only helps me. it doesn't help anyone else.

perhaps your instructions are complete and correct and
perhaps i'm being overly pessimistic but i would really
prefer an installer written by someone who does know what
is needed. as i imagine would most people who want to make
postgres accessible from windows hosts.

even if your instructions are complete and correct, i
doubt that you want to continually repeat them on this
list to everyone who wants to just install client software
on windows.

i can think of an easier way to get what i want. i'll just
leave the 8.3 client software in place until it stops working
against some future version of the server and hope that by
that time someone has realised that there does need to be
a windows client software installer and i'll run that. :-)

or i'll just install the server on every windows host that
needs to connect to a postgres server even though it wastes
hundreds of megabytes per host.

sorry if i sound like i'm whinging but i can't help seeing
this as a huge oversight in a brilliant piece of software.
maybe it's just me.

anyway, happy holidays!

> --
> Dave Page
> EnterpriseDB UK: http://www.enterprisedb.com

cheers,
raf