RE: [GENERAL] Loading a database, why do I need superuser?

Halt, stop, cease this discussion!  :)  Seriously, I meant to say Postgres
superuser, I really do understand the differences between root and the
normal
pgsql account.  Unfortunately, I don't own the Postgres account either.
Sorry for the ambiguity.

Back to the copy issue:  Okay, I understand the security issue with regards
to the backend.  Let me guess - that's why one has the option of the
stdin/out
feature.

About this front end copy command... from psql I try:

    \copy tblauthors from tblAuthors.txt;

which reports a broken pipe.  I note that the syntax for the front
end copy command does not mention quoting the filename or having
the option of saying 'using delimiters...'.

From the command line, I try the same command:

    cat tblAuthors.txt | psql -d gilley -c copy tblAuthors.txt from
stdin using delimiters ','

    or

    cat tblAuthors.txt | psql -d gilley -c copy tblAuthors.txt from
stdin

which yield

    ERROR:  parser: syntax error at or near ""
    Broken Pipe


What is the correct magic spell?

Charles Gilley - by the way, thanks for the quick responses.

> -----Original Message-----
> From:    James Olin Oden [SMTP:joden@lee.k12.nc.us]
> Sent:    Friday, November 20, 1998 9:48 AM
> To:    Gilley, Charles H.
> Subject:    Re: [GENERAL] Loading a database, why do I need superuser?
>
>
> "Gilley, Charles H." wrote:
>
> > I'm in the process of loading a database on a virtual server.
> > Because I do not have root privileges (technically it is a shared
> machine),
> > I am encountering all sorts of hiccups.  Trying the copy command to
> > load the database with comma delimited data, I encounter this complaint:
> >
> >         ERROR:  You must have Postgres superuser privilege to do a COPY
> >         directly to or from a file.  Anyone can COPY to stdout or from
> stdin
> >
> > There is NO mention of this in the man page or documentation that I have
> > perused.  Perhaps I have a privilege problem?
> >
> > Charles Gilley
>
> Hi Charles,
>
> Really you should never manage the postgress database as root at all.  If
> you
> read the README and other installation notes that come with the
> distribution you
> will see that it _strongly_ suggests you create a postgres administrative
> account (you can call it whatever you want, most of the world calls it
> postgres), create the directory where you are going to install the
> postgress
> binaries, and then set it to be owned by this postgres administrative
> user.
>
> I am not sure of all the repercussions, but the docs to express that there
> are
> some serious security risks to both your data and your system if you run
> the
> postgress application as root.  Anyway, it really is all over the
> docs...especially the installation docs.
>
> Hope this is helpful...james
>