Re: Windows installation suggestion

[Paul Lambert <paul(dot)lambert(at)autoledgers(dot)com(dot)au>]

Magnus Hagander wrote:
> On Mon, Feb 12, 2007 at 06:35:35PM +0900, Paul Lambert wrote:
> > Magnus Hagander wrote:
> > > On Mon, Feb 12, 2007 at 12:13:49PM +0900, Paul Lambert wrote:
> > > > I'd like to make a suggestion for a change to the windows installation 
> > > > for Postgres if permissable... not sure if this is the right list to be 
> > > > posting to.
> > > >
> > > > Suggestion as follows:
> > > >
> > > > Have the install update the PATH environment variable to include the 
> > > > Postgres BIN directory to enable things to be run from commandline (such 
> > > > as psql) without having to switch into that directory.
> > > We've talked about this before, and rejected it. The reason is that it
> > > breaks when you have more than one version installed on the same system. 
> > >
> > > We've considered adding a checkbox (off by default) to the installation
> > > that would set it, though, but the demand just hasn't been there yet ;-) 
> > >
> > > Does it not help to just use the "Command Prompt" shortcut on the
> > > PostgreSQL menu in the start menu?
> > >
> > > //Magnus
> > I'm setting up some batch jobs that perform various tasks, some of which 
> > will involve psql. I've manually adjusted the path variable on my server 
> > in this instance, however I can see that multiple versions may result in 
> > some undesired behavior.
> >
> > A checkbox would work, providing it removes the pre-existing 
> > installations reference in the path variable... otherwise you could be 
> > unknowingly running the wrong version of programs and seeing unexpected 
> > results.
>
> That is the problem - how to find and identify that one, and how to be
> sure that it was something added by the installer and not by the user
> himself. So far we've just taken the easy way out and said the user has
> to deal with it. 

Logical way out I'd say.

> > Apparently this fact didn't cross my mind when I decided to make the 
> > suggestion ;)
> >
> > I blame my ignorance on years of using M$ SQL server.
>
> Yeah, they don't support multiple versions on the same machine :-) Lack
> of features makes some thigns easier :-)
Easier - perhaps, more frustrating - definitely.

> //Magnus

Cheers for the info.

P.

--
Paul Lambert
Database Administrator
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