Thread: I've compiled and installed -- what next?

Hi,

I've compiled and installed v8.2.1 to use in conjunction with the Xythos
document management system.  My problem is getting from home to first
base.  I normally live in a MySql world and the first thing I do after
installing the DBMS is set the "root" or superuser password.  The PDF
documentation talks about the superuser and database owner(s).  How do I
define the superuser and then secure that user with a password?

Thanks,
Rob

--

Rob Tanner
UNIX Services Manager
Linfield College, McMinnville OR

Rob Tanner wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've compiled and installed v8.2.1 to use in conjunction with the Xythos
> document management system.  My problem is getting from home to first
> base.  I normally live in a MySql world and the first thing I do after
> installing the DBMS is set the "root" or superuser password.  The PDF
> documentation talks about the superuser and database owner(s).  How do I
> define the superuser and then secure that user with a password?

Hail fellow user from Oregon :)

The default superuser for PostgreSQL is going to be the linux/unix user
that you used the command initdb with. By default when you initdb in
PostgreSQL (when you compile from source) it will allow any unix user to
connect. Thus you can do this:

psql -U <postgres user> template1

That will get you into your database (assuming it is running). Once
there you can use CREATE ROLE and ALTER ROLE to set respective passwords.

To get help use the following:

\h CREATE ROLE
\h ALTER ROLE

Sincerely,

Joshua D. Drake


>
> Thanks,
> Rob
>


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"Joshua D. Drake" <jd@commandprompt.com> writes:
> Rob Tanner wrote:
>> ...  I normally live in a MySql world and the first thing I do after
>> installing the DBMS is set the "root" or superuser password.  The PDF
>> documentation talks about the superuser and database owner(s).  How do I
>> define the superuser and then secure that user with a password?

> The default superuser for PostgreSQL is going to be the linux/unix user
> that you used the command initdb with. By default when you initdb in
> PostgreSQL (when you compile from source) it will allow any unix user to
> connect. Thus you can do this:

IIRC, initdb has some options to set the initial password and also to
make the initial authentication mode not be "trust".  Good things to
use if you are on a system with other users you don't trust.

You'll want to at least skim the manual's discussion of client
authentication pretty soon.  Password-based auth is not necessarily
the best choice.

            regards, tom lane