Re: Configurable location for extension .control files

On Tue, Jun 11, 2013 at 11:42 PM, Craig Ringer <craig@2ndquadrant.com> wrote:

Anyway, point being that PostgreSQL from Macports, Homebrew, and/or
EnterpriseDB's installer might be present ... and even in use.

Perhaps you should direct those users towards http://postgresapp.com

Well, at that point they're usually already in a bit of a mess that they don't know how to get themselves out of. They're often *also* attempting to use Postgres.app, but struggling with issues with unix socket directory defaults, etc. The postgres.app docs do appear to offer some useful basic guidance for users on how to uninstalll whatever they might've installed.

None of this is hard if you have  clue what you're doing. Rebuild the Pg gem against the right libpq by fixing your PATH so it finds the right pg_config, set host=/tmp, or set host=localhost. Any of the three will work. Unfortunately most of these users seem to struggle with that, and their approach to "it didn't work" appears to be "find another tool/tutorial and try that instead".

Sure, they're not my (or your) problem. I'd still like to see usability in this area improve if it's possible.

The postgres.app documentation its self doesn't look quite right when it comes to Ruby, actually. For Ruby/Rails it says the user should use "gem install pg" but it doesn't tell them to set the PATH first, so they'll get whatever random pg_config is on the PATH first, often Apple's elderly Pg with its different socket directory path, etc. Sure, they can get around that just by setting host: localhost, but it'd be nice to see that improved so it tells them how to build their Pg gem against the correct libpq. Or, better, has Postgres.app automatically install it for them when they install it.

-- Craig Ringer                   http://www.2ndQuadrant.com/PostgreSQL Development, 24x7 Support, Training & Services