Re:

> The -D option is always required, it doesn't have anything to do with -i
> or foreground/background.  If you have trouble starting the postmaster,
> show us what you're doing and what happens.  Also, reread the
> documentation so you know what all the options are for.
> 

.....well not quite true according to documentation ( see I read them!
<G> ) as long as you've exported your PATH which I have-- ie: export
PGDATA=/usr/local/pgsql/data
    I then went through:
======================
root# mkdir /usr/local/pgsql/data
root# chown postgres /usr/local/pgsql/data
root# su postgres
postgres> initdb -D /usr/local/pgsql/data

which then told me:
======================
Success. You can now start the database server using:
   /usr/bin/postmaster -D /usr/local/pgsql/data
or   /usr/bin/pg_ctl -D /usr/local/pgsql/data -l logfile start
-----------------------------
    I then typed in:
======================
/usr/bin/pg_ctl -D /usr/local/pgsql/data -l logfile start
which offered me:
============================
pg_ctl: invalid operation mode: /usr/local/pgsql/data


so I tried:
=======================
bash-2.05$ /usr/bin/postmaster -D /usr/local/pgsql/data

which worked but ( I forgot to use -i for interactive which I guess I
need???? ) then do I start another shell and type createdb mydatabase
???....if I try to su postgres from a new shell it asks for password
which i've no clue what it is....what does it default to or am I doing
this part wrong and should be issueing the createdb from same shell I
issues the /usr/bin/postmaster command from ? :)

sorry for this long post but its the only way I know of to explain whats
going on....

thx
lee
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