Thread: School teacher in need of HELP

On Saturday, March 05, 2011 12:33:50 pm hbailey17@nyc.rr.com wrote:
> Hello,
> I have no IT experience and no funding to hire a technical person or
> resources to take a training course. Also my friends who have programming
> background have not been reliable. I am willing to spend the necessary
> months in trying to learn how to use an SQL program.  I just installed
> PostgresSQL 9.0. While trying to read through the documentation I
> proceeded to chpt. 1.3 Creating a Database, which commands I followed.
> Chpt. 1.4 Accessing a Datebase commands are confusing. I tried to enter
> the commands on the SQL Shell(psql) from which line 1 reads Server
> [localhost], line 2 –Database[postgres]: and I entered postgres, line 3 –
> Port[____], which number I entered), line 4 - Username[postgres], where I
> entered postgres, line 5 Password for the postres:     ....... which
> returned the message FATAL : password authentication failed for user
> “postgres”..... Press any key to continue.
>
> Can you help me understand how to start accessing the server database
> capabilities and/or mention on online support blog.
>
> Thanking you in advance,
> Hilary

First what platform(Windows,Linux,Mac) are you using?
How did you install Postgres?
My guess is that the database was set with trust authentication, this means you
do not have to supply a password. Try the command without a password.


--
Adrian Klaver
adrian.klaver@gmail.com

On Sat, Mar 5, 2011 at 8:04 PM, Adrian Klaver <adrian.klaver@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> How did you install Postgres?

i bet he uses one click installer from enterprisedb, i have seen those
messages he describe...

> My guess is that the database was set with trust authentication, this means you
> do not have to supply a password. Try the command without a password.
>

right. and because the OP is a good reader he should read chapter 19.1
(http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.0/static/auth-pg-hba-conf.html) and
use trust in authentication method

--
Jaime Casanova         www.2ndQuadrant.com
Professional PostgreSQL: Soporte y capacitación de PostgreSQL

On Sat, 5 Mar 2011 15:33:50 -0500
<hbailey17@nyc.rr.com> wrote:

> Hello,
 I tried to enter the commands on the SQL Shell(psql) from
> which line 1 reads Server [localhost], line 2 –Database[postgres]:
> and I entered postgres, line 3 – Port[____], which number I entered),
> line 4 - Username[postgres], where I entered postgres, line 5
> Password for the postres:     ....... which returned the message
> FATAL : password authentication failed for user “postgres”..... Press
> any key to continue.
>
> Can you help me understand how to start accessing the server database
> capabilities and/or mention on online support blog.

Hi  Hilary,

It can be a bit confusing and annoying to set up Postgresql for the
first time, and it would be helpful to know what platform you have it
on. (i.e. Win? Linux? if so which distro?) I originally set up under
Fedora and just recently set it up under Debian, there are some
differences. I'm not sure under Win.

The first thing you should do is create a new user and here's a link to
general online documentation:
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.0/interactive/index.html
And a page about creating users:
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.0/interactive/sql-createuser.html

You'll generally want to create a user with the same user name as your
desktop login user name if you want to use 'trust' authentication,
it'll make it easier. Give that user / role 'superuser' ability. Then,
as that user you'll be able to create a db and access it, etc. I'd
suggest you probably want to create a db that doesn't match a user
(role) name, i.e. call it 'mystuff' or 'testdb1' or something.

And in particular, here's the section on authentication,
the defaults differ depending on the distro:
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.0/interactive/client-authentication.html

hbailey17@nyc.rr.com wrote:
> Hello,
> I have no IT experience and no funding to hire a technical person or
> resources to take a training course. Also my friends who have
> programming background have not been reliable. I am willing to spend
> the necessary months in trying to learn how to use an SQL program. I
> just installed PostgresSQL 9.0. While trying to read through the
> documentation I proceeded to chpt. 1.3 Creating a Database, which
> commands I followed. Chpt. 1.4 Accessing a Datebase commands are
> confusing. I tried to enter the commands on the SQL Shell(psql) from
> which line 1 reads Server [localhost], line 2 –Database[postgres]: and
> I entered postgres, line 3 – Port[____], which number I entered), line
> 4 - Username[postgres], where I entered postgres, line 5 Password for
> the postres: ....... which returned the message FATAL : password
> authentication failed for user “postgres”..... Press any key to continue.
> Can you help me understand how to start accessing the server database
> capabilities and/or mention on online support blog.
> Thanking you in advance,
> Hilary


I wonder if there is a postgres user group in your neighbourhood? You
might get over a lot more of these introductory hurdles face to face.
Don't get me wrong, the folks on this list will extend tons of
assistance but if I read you situation correctly it could get a little
frustrating. But then you're a teacher so I bet patience is probably in
good supply.

Hang in there.