[postgis-users] Newbie needs assistance

[Stephen Frost]

* Ryan Sutton (sutton.ryan at gmail.com) wrote:
>    I have been using linux for over 5 years, never have used Postgre.  My
>    database knowledge is very limited to basic admin functions for MS SQL and
>    MySQL.  Well, my brother's GIS master's thesis project requires the use of
>    PostGIS.  He has 0 linux experience.  He called me to help him get the
>    server stuff working.

Well, I certainly hope this is a good experiance for you wrt Postgres.
It's a very powerful, fast and versitile database. :)

>    I loaded FC5 on a spare Dell Demension P4 512mb XP system (dual boot not
>    that it matters).  Yum update is current.  Postgre is 8.1.4 which was
>    installed via yumgroup, not the CDs.  When I attempt to install the FC4
>    RPMs for PostGIS, it complains it needs Postgre 8.1.1, plus some
>    dependencies (which got installed).  I ended up using the --nopeds option
>    to install PostGIS.  Is this a bad idea or should it work?   This PC is

I'm not an FC4 or FC5 user myself so I can't really comment on this,
unfortunately.  In general I'd expect it to be alright but I doubt it
would have run the PostGIS install which needs to be done in the
database since that would depend on the database being online and
capable of being logged into, etc.  So, I'd tend to think the initial
things to do would be to set up Postgres using the 'createdb' and
'createuser' commands from a shell running as the Postgres superuser.
Then you need to log into the database as the superuser and run the
PostGIS SQL script to create the tables and functions in the database
(which are in some cases just 'links' to the corresponding C functions
in the .so file installed by the PostGIS RPM).

>    Can someone recommend a dummy guide for PostGre?  I need to verify both
>    Postgre and Postgis are installed correctly and functional.  This is the
>    first posting I have made.  If I should be submitting to a different
>    forum, please advise.

This list is alright for PostGIS questions.  The PostgreSQL
'pgsql-general' list would probably be more appropriate for general
questions regarding PostgreSQL.  There's also a '#postgresql' list on
irc.freenode.net which has some very nice and helpful people generally.
Some there (including myself) are also familiar with PostGIS and are
happy to help with questions regarding that too.

As for a guide, the PostgreSQL online documentation is excellent through
isn't really intended for 'dummies' and doesn't go into details such as
the SQL language itself (the commands are documented but I don't believe
it defines, for example, how a join works).  The PostGIS online
documentation is also quite good, imv.

If you've got other questions or concerns feel free to air them and
we'll see what we can answer for you.

	Enjoy,

		Stephen
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