Solved Postgresql (95) - pg_ctl vs postgresql

[Gregory N. Schmit]

I am learning how to install and use PostgreSQL server and I have run across a few different tutorials. One of them had me running postgresql commands from /usr/local/etc/rc.d. However, I initially didn't see the directory and the command wasn't working so I ended up finding pg_ctl and doing the following:
pg_ctl initdb -D data
pg_ctl -D data -l logs/pgsql-data.log start

When I realized that I probably just don't have /usr/local/etc/rc.d in PATH, I stopped the server using pg_ctl stop -D data, rm -r data/. (All of these commands thus far were done under pgsql user.) I then went into root and did:
/usr/local/etc/rc.d/postgresql initdb
/usr/local/etc/rc.d/postgresql start

These two coommands seemed to do the same thing (building /usr/local/pgsql/data database) except the log is in a different place.

So, my question is: which of these methods makes the most sense? Does the /usr/local/etc/rc.d/postgresql method do more "magic" in the background that I should rely on? I was also worried about the server starting after a reboot; does this work for any databases I've started?

Thank you,

-gns

 

[drhowarddrfine]

You should read the pg_ctl() man page for more info:

Although the server can be started manually, pg_ctl encapsulates tasks such as
redirecting log output and properly detaching from the terminal and
process group. It also provides convenient options for controlled
shutdown.

 

[Gregory N. Schmit]

Ah, ok it seems that I have it backwards; pg_ctl is the recommended way of doing all of this. Thanks drhowarddrfine!

-gns

 

[SirDice]

When I realized that I probably just don't have /usr/local/etc/rc.d in PATH,

It's not supposed to.

Does the /usr/local/etc/rc.d/postgresql method do more "magic" in the background that I should rely on?

Just read the script.

 

[Gregory N. Schmit]

Wow, I really should've just read the script. Thanks SirDice, I had it in my head that it was a separate binary for some reason, but that explains everything.

 

[SirDice]

I had it in my head that it was a separate binary for some reason, but that explains everything.

Files in /usr/local/etc/rc.d/ are never binaries, they're always scripts. Never used PostgreSQL but for MySQL, MariaDB and a few others the start scripts will "automagically" run their initialization if it's the first time you started it. It's safe to assume it works the same way for PostgreSQL.