failing to connect to postgresql with php

i have installed postgres 8.4 server in ubuntu 10.04, clearly following all procedures. what is disappointing me i cant
establishconnection to the database server when am configuring postgres with php. whenever i use this postgres database
functioni dont even receive an error message. the server just remains quite. more on than when i execute the command
<br/><br /><code> #psql template1 on my terminal </code>i receive this error message<br /><br />psql: could not connect
toserver: No such file or directory<br />    Is the server running locally and accepting<br />    connections on Unix
domainsocket "/var/run/postgresql/.s.PGSQL.5432"?<br />  can someone help me out please<br />