Re: Changing pg_dump default file format

Joshua D. Drake <jd@commandprompt.com> wrote:

> For as long as I can remember I have heard complaints about the fact
> that pg_dump doesn't use a backup format that is supported by the
> pg_restore program. At every single talk that I give that talks about
> pg_dump, the people in the majority of the audience agrees that this is
> rather silly and a barrier to usability.
>
> The only counter argument I have heard is that it adds an extra step for
> developers to get the SQL that generates a database. That to me is a
> weak argument as pg_dump is a production/admin too, first, not a
> developer tool.
>
> I humbly request on behalf of those who manage production postgresql
> instances that we change the default backup file format from -Fp to -Fc.

-1 in the case that output goes to stdout.  It might make sense for
when -f is specified.  As a DBA, 90% of my usage of pg_dump was
piped to psql, with the rest split between data-only dumps for
individual tables and schema-only dumps.  I think I used -Fc about
twice -- before I figured out how to do PITR-style backups.

This, for example, is a valid and useful construct:

pg_dump test | psql test2

... or:

pg_dump -s test | psql test3

A lot of scripts will be broken by changing the default format for
piped output.

--
Kevin Grittner
EDB: http://www.enterprisedb.com
The Enterprise PostgreSQL Company