Thread: warning about console code page on starting psql
SUMMARY OF PROBLEM: Postgres notes no errors upon installation, but upon startup of psql there's a warning; documentation fix doesn't eliminate the warning message.
1. psql says this when I log in:
Server [localhost]:
Database [postgres]:
Port [5432]:
Username [postgres]:
Password for user postgres:
psql (9.4rc1)
WARNING: Console code page (437) differs from Windows code page (1252)
8-bit characters might not work correctly. See psql reference
page "Notes for Windows users" for details.
Type "help" for help.
postgres=#
2. psql ref. pg. says this:
Notes for Windows Users
psql is built as a "console application". Since the Windows console windows use a different encoding than the rest of the system, you must take special care when using 8-bit characters within psql. If psql detects a problematic console code page, it will warn you at startup. To change the console code page, two things are necessary:
- Set the code page by entering cmd.exe /c chcp 1252. (1252 is a code page that is appropriate for German; replace it with your value.) If you are using Cygwin, you can put this command in /etc/profile.
Set the console font to Lucida Console, because the raster font does not work with the ANSI code page.
3. When I enter "cmd.exe /c chcp 1252" into the command prompt, it says this:
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Users\zzzzzz>cmd.exe /c chcp 1252
Active code page: 1252
C:\Users\zzzzzz>
4. Am I supposed to type this at the command prompt: "cmd.exe /c chcp 437"? Because that's what I did, and now the command prompt says this...
C:\Users\zzzzzz>cmd.exe /c chcp 437
Active code page: 437
C:\Users\zzzzzz>
...but I quit and reopened psql, the error message isn't gone or changed.
5. The instructions to set console font mean nothing to me: "Set the console font to Lucida Console, because the raster font does not work with the ANSI code page". Googled it and found nothing that made sense to me. Set whose console font? PG or Windows? Where and how to set it? What is a console, anyway? Googled again and again, finally discovered that the console being referred to is apparently psql itself. By clicking on the little rectangular icon at the top left of the title bar of the command prompt (psql), Properties, Font...there it is. "Raster Fonts" had been selected. I changed this to Lucida Console. Quit psql and restarted it.
6. psql startup warning has now changed to a different font, no other change.
7. I changed the console page back to 1252 in the command prompt:
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Users\zzzzz>cd/
C:\>cmd.exe /c chcp 1252
Active code page: 1252
C:\>
8. Quit and restarted psql (twice). The warning message has not changed. Is it possible that pg is wrongly detecting code page 437, and does it matter? I have a lot of work to do and want a sparkling clean foundation to start from so I don't have problems later.
-- stumpednomore@gmail.com
 | This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. |
Tried this, nothing changed.Please send all replies to the list and either inline or bottom post.On Tuesday, December 16, 2014, Scott Robertson <stumpednomore@gmail.com> wrote:Thanks David, I am starting to understand the console is what they used
to call a dos prompt, the little black window where psql appears.Correct.
As you say, the font change had no effect on the Windows command prompt
console that I open from the Windows start menu. However, the font
change did persist in psql. Each time I reopen psql, it is now
automatically in Lucida Console font.Must be some memorized state being saved by Windows and the means by which you are launching psql.
It seems I should be able to get to C:\> from the same (psql) console,
but don't know how, or how to get back to psql if I did. And don't know
if there's any reason to.
It sounds like you're saying that I should type this command in the psql
console each time I open it. In which case, I'd have to get to the C:\>
in order to do it, since it's not a psql command.I don't know psql is launched on windows (or, specifically, how you are launching it) so cannot answer that particular question. Using "start->run" you can type "cmd" then in the resulting console change the codepage before manually running "psql"
Yes, I had a shortcut for psql in the program files start menu of Windows, which I moved to the desktop. I don't know another way to open it.Shortcut properties can be explored if indeed that is what is being used to launch psql.
Shortcut target is "C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\9.4\scripts\runpsql.bat"
Start in location is "C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\9.4\scripts"
psql says "type any key to continue" and if you do, psql quits.If your are in psql already what happens when you type "\q" ?
However, returning to my original post, I have already determined that
Windows is set to 1252 as (?) instructed by pg documentation, and is
still giving the same error. Is there a windows configuration file I
should edit or...???You don't change the Windows codepage - you change the console to match whatever Windows is using.David J.
| | This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. |
On Tuesday, December 16, 2014, David Johnston <david.g.johnston@gmail.com> wrote:Forwarding to -docs for now.I suggest simply dropping the "cmd.exe /c"part from the docs and mention that the command should be run from an active console. A recommendation for a batch file or similar would be nice. I may put together an actual patch if I get a chance and don't see one come across but for now just reporting this. Would want to research methods for making both these items persist and recommending such. See my other curiosities below...David J.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David G Johnston [via PostgreSQL] <ml-node+s1045698n5831042h26@n5.nabble.com>
Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Subject: Re: warning about console code page on starting psql
To: David G Johnston <david.g.johnston@gmail.com>So basically the documented fix is useless. At least a "/k" would keep the new console with altered code page around for interactive use but the /c switch simply kills the console after running a single command whose sole purpose is to change the to-be-killed console's codepage.Stephen Cook-2 wroteOn 12/16/2014 11:10 PM, Scott Robertson wrote:
> Set the code page by entering cmd.exe /c chcp 1252. (1252 is a code
> page that is appropriate for German; replace it with your value.) If
> you are using Cygwin, you can put this command in /etc/profile.
Do not type the "cmd.exe /c" part. This will run a new instance of "cmd"
(the Windows command-line console); "\c" means "run the following
command"... So you are basically starting a new console, changing the
code page within that new console, and exiting back to your original
console.
Instead, once you have a command prompt, use "chcp 1252" to change the
code page of the Windows console to match the code page "psql" expects
from Windows. Then you can run "psql" without the warning. You will have
to do this each time you open a new command line console, before running
"psql", as far as I can tell.
-- Stephen
It is implied that since you are chasing the console codepage that the target value would be whatever Window's is using...but that could be made more clear as well.
Encodings are confusing and this doesn't even mention using windows psql against Linux or how Unicode would fit in - though external notes indicate that the font change suggestion also solves Unicode characters as well as dealing with ANSI...
http://ss64.com/nt/chcp.html
David J.The only saving grace I can see is that it does make cmd.exe explicit since Windows does have PowerShell, though how it behaves I do not know either....David J.
Case closed and much learned. The documentation was depending on me remembering some things learned from a dos class almost 20 years ago, haven't used the command line console since.
SUMMARY OF SOLUTION
start console cmd.exe
use icon upper left on title bar to change font to Lucida Console
change to root directory: cd\
check the code page to confirm it's wrong: chcp
change the code page: chcp 1252
change to postgresql directory; in my Windows 7 it's: cd program files\postgresql\9.4\bin\
open psql (in same console) as superuser so operating system user password isn't expected: psql -U postgres
prompt comes up for postgres password
RESULTS:
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
C:\Users\Luther>cd/
C:\>chcp
Active code page: 437
C:\>chcp 1252
Active code page: 1252
C:\>cd program files\postgresql\9.4\bin\
C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\9.4\bin>
C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\9.4\bin>psql -U postgres
Password for user postgres:
psql (9.4rc1)
Type "help" for help.
postgres=# \c testdb2
You are now connected to database "testdb2" as user "postgres".
testdb2=# select * from jedstblinmelsdb;
key | name | address
-----+------+---------
(0 rows)
| | This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. |