Re: pg_dump shell script with ~/.pgpass

I posted the message below on 1/15/05 and haven't received a reply yet.
Should I be asking this question on a different list?
Thank you.
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Margaret Gillon, IS Dept., Chromalloy Los Angeles, ext. 297

----- Forwarded by Margaret Gillon/CLA/Chromalloy on 01/27/2005 08:38 AM
-----

Margaret
Gillon/CLA/Chroma
lloy To
pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org
01/15/2005 12:14 cc
PM
Subject
pg_dump shell script with ~/.pgpass

I need to create a shell script for cron.daily to run that will do pg_dump
for my database. I am using Redhat 9 and Postgresql v7.3.4. Currently when
I run the dump manually the command I use is

#pg_dump -u -C -D -f /tmp/owl.sql owl

What should the command look like using ~/.pgpass ?

My other question... Is cron.daily is being run by root? If so would I need
to put the .pgpass file in root's home directory?

I only have two postgresql users right now, myself and postgres. On the
redhat server I have only two users, myself and root, there is no user
postgres.

TIA.
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Margaret Gillon, IS Dept., Chromalloy Los Angeles, ext. 297

On Thursday 27 January 2005 11:47 am, MargaretGillon(at)chromalloy(dot)com saith:
>
> My other question... Is cron.daily is being run by root? If so would I need
> to put the .pgpass file in root's home directory?
>
--

I don't know about .pgpass, so I can't help you with that. Root does run
cron.daily. You can setup your own personal crontab entries by issuing the
following command:
crontab -e

Do this with your personal account, not root. You will get a vi session when
you execute this command and then you can setup you backup to occur as you
desire.

Here is what mine looks like:
# min hour dom mon doy command
# --- ---- ---- ---- ----- ---------------
30 7,12,22 * * * /esc/source.bkp
0 22 * * * cd /esc/pgrnd/prog;
./dbDump.sh rnd

Word wrap has screwed up the alignment, but you get the idea.

On Thu, Jan 27, 2005 at 08:47:40AM -0800, MargaretGillon(at)chromalloy(dot)com wrote:

> I need to create a shell script for cron.daily to run that will do pg_dump
> for my database. I am using Redhat 9 and Postgresql v7.3.4. Currently when
> I run the dump manually the command I use is
>
> #pg_dump -u -C -D -f /tmp/owl.sql owl
>
> What should the command look like using ~/.pgpass ?

The same. The file is automatically used if found and has the right
permissions.

> My other question... Is cron.daily is being run by root? If so would I need
> to put the .pgpass file in root's home directory?

Don't use root to do the backup, use postgres. crontab -e -u postgres

--
Alvaro Herrera (<alvherre[(at)]dcc(dot)uchile(dot)cl>)
"El día que dejes de cambiar dejarás de vivir"

MargaretGillon(at)chromalloy(dot)com wrote:
> I posted the message below on 1/15/05 and haven't received a reply yet.
> Should I be asking this question on a different list?

This is probably the right list - your message may have been missed
though, there can be a lot of traffic.
>
> I need to create a shell script for cron.daily to run that will do pg_dump
> for my database. I am using Redhat 9 and Postgresql v7.3.4. Currently when
> I run the dump manually the command I use is
>
> #pg_dump -u -C -D -f /tmp/owl.sql owl
>
> What should the command look like using ~/.pgpass ?

Well, from cron, I'd add an explicit username "-U username" and then in
your .pgpass add the host/port/db/user/password as described in the
manuals (client interfaces/libc/files).

> My other question... Is cron.daily is being run by root? If so would I need
> to put the .pgpass file in root's home directory?

Yes and yes. Also, make sure you chmod the file as described in the manual.
The alternative would be to set up a crontab for another user, and place
the .pgpass in their home-dir.

> I only have two postgresql users right now, myself and postgres. On the
> redhat server I have only two users, myself and root, there is no user
> postgres.

Are you sure? There are almost certainly dozens of users in /etc/passwd
and if you installed by RPM then there *will* be a user postgres. That's
not to say you can just login as them though - they might have their
shell disabled.

--
Richard Huxton
Archonet Ltd

On Thu, Jan 27, 2005 at 08:47:40 -0800,
MargaretGillon(at)chromalloy(dot)com wrote:
>
> What should the command look like using ~/.pgpass ?

You might also consider using using ident as the authentication method if
it is supported by your os.

On Thu, 27 Jan 2005, Richard Huxton wrote:

> MargaretGillon(at)chromalloy(dot)com wrote:

[snip]

>> I need to create a shell script for cron.daily to run that will do pg_dump
>> for my database. I am using Redhat 9 and Postgresql v7.3.4. Currently when
>> I run the dump manually the command I use is
>>
>> #pg_dump -u -C -D -f /tmp/owl.sql owl
>>
>> What should the command look like using ~/.pgpass ?
>
> Well, from cron, I'd add an explicit username "-U username" and then in your
> .pgpass add the host/port/db/user/password as described in the manuals
> (client interfaces/libc/files).

Personally I _hate_ having passwords in files, and avoid it whenever possible.
[1] It's another instance that I have to change when the password expires;
and [B] it's a possible avenue for a security failure (or, at least requires
real thought and attention to avoid turning into a security problem).

What I do instead is have the cron listing run a simple script which uses su :

su --command="INSERT YOUR PG COMMAND HERE" $PGNAME

where PGNAME has previously been set to, for example, 'postgres'.
This script can only be run by root (or the su will fail); and if run
by root, and the PGNAME is postgres, no additional password will be
needed for DB admin.

[how to accomplish this in WinXX I have no idea]

HTH,

-frank