Thread: Re: Log messages of the server?

> Hi,
>
> just a quick question: I've installed test-drives of the
> PostgreSQL 8.0 beta installers (all versions, up to and
> including beta4), on win2k, XP Pro and XP home, they all
> worked fine starting the postmaster as service under user
> postgres. I just realized, though, that I had a problem
> upgrading one machine from beta2 to beta3, though. The
> service didn't start, because an initdb was required. But I
> didn't see any eventlog messages (that's where a windows user
> would look first, naturally). After more careful scrutiny, I
> did not find
> *ANY* server log messages. Where does the installer set
> logging to? Is logging to eventlog even implemented? How to
> configure it?

There has been a debate about where to log, and the end result was not
to default to eventlog. You can enable eventlogging by editing
postgresql.conf, look for the parameter "log_destination".
Log files by default go into the pg_log subdirectory of the data
directory.

//Magnus

Hi,

On Monday 08 November 2004 10:42, you wrote:
[...]
>
> There has been a debate about where to log, and the end result was not
> to default to eventlog. You can enable eventlogging by editing
> postgresql.conf, look for the parameter "log_destination".
> Log files by default go into the pg_log subdirectory of the data
> directory.
>
> //Magnus

Ok, thanks for the info. I'll have a look. Just a suggestion: as this is
fairly non-obvious, couldn't the installer just ask where to set logging to?

Thanks,
 Jörg
--
Leading SW developer  - S.E.A GmbH
Mail: joerg.hessdoerfer@sea-gmbh.com
WWW:  http://www.sea-gmbh.com

>
> Ok, thanks for the info. I'll have a look. Just a suggestion: as this
is
> fairly non-obvious, couldn't the installer just ask where to set
logging
> to?

I'm not saying that's a bad idea, but there are many things besides
logging that are in postgresql.conf that are not set during the install
process.  I suggest spending some time and learning it as well as
possible.

Merlin

Hi,

On Monday 08 November 2004 13:52, you wrote:
> > Ok, thanks for the info. I'll have a look. Just a suggestion: as this
>
> is
>
> > fairly non-obvious, couldn't the installer just ask where to set
>
> logging
>
> > to?
>
> I'm not saying that's a bad idea, but there are many things besides
> logging that are in postgresql.conf that are not set during the install
> process.  I suggest spending some time and learning it as well as
> possible.
>
> Merlin

for sure the installer should not be a complete configuration  tool - that
would be a different beast (and it looks like pgAdmin will go there). But
server logging is *vital*, as it's the only means to tell you what went
wrong, and allows you to investigate. This will bite many new users, as
they're used look at the eventlog.
Thus my suggestion.

Greetings,
 Jörg
--
Leading SW developer  - S.E.A GmbH
Mail: joerg.hessdoerfer@sea-gmbh.com
WWW:  http://www.sea-gmbh.com

Merlin Moncure wrote:

>>Ok, thanks for the info. I'll have a look. Just a suggestion: as this
>>
>>
>is
>
>
>>fairly non-obvious, couldn't the installer just ask where to set
>>
>>
>logging
>
>
>>to?
>>
>>
>
>I'm not saying that's a bad idea, but there are many things besides
>logging that are in postgresql.conf that are not set during the install
>process.  I suggest spending some time and learning it as well as
>possible.
>
>
>
>

well, that's reasonable, but I think the installer could very usefully
set a few of the more important options, including this one.

cheers

andrew

> >I'm not saying that's a bad idea, but there are many things besides
> >logging that are in postgresql.conf that are not set during
> the install
> >process.  I suggest spending some time and learning it as well as
> >possible.
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> well, that's reasonable, but I think the installer could very
> usefully set a few of the more important options, including this one.

Do you have any special parameters in mind? If so, plz register as
feature reqs on pgFoundry :-)

//Magnus