PostgresSQL & Windows 2

[Steve101]

Some basic questions if I might ask:

I am SQL Server, Windows and Access / VBA literate, but I have to investigate a PostgreSQL database to see how it might interface with some existing applications.

(a) Can I get a PostgreSQL Windows XP Professional database server (ie. non unix backend)

(b) Can I get a PostgreSQL Windows XP Professional client.

(c) Where are the best download site(s).

Ive had a quick look on the net, but nothing obvious surfaced in a hurry; hense these questions (perhaps I'm in Unix land only territory ??)

TIA,



Steve Lewy
Solutions Developer
steve@lewycomputing.com.au
(dont cut corners or you'll go round in circles)

 

[TimKThailand]

Check this thread699-642495 out.

 

[richardpaulhall]

I Looked at all the current front-end tools under Windows, PG Manager is the best.

http://www.ems-hitech.com/pgmanager

 

[stoolpigeon]

Last I saw the native windows port of postgres - was still in work. there is the commercial option for the server above. There is also the option of running cygwin and going that route.

What kind of client do you want to get for windows? PGAdmin III is a windows administration tool for postgres if that is what you mean.

The nice thing about postgres is that you can get the ODBC stuff for it and then connecting to it from windows is as easy as creating a dsn and then using it like you would for any other database.

I've written 5 or 6 client apps in the last year that were done in VB 6.0 and use postgres for the back end. It blows the doors of Access and isn't too far behind SQL server.

 

[Steve101]

Thanks for all of the above answers guys. TimK, I tried checking out the ftp site referenced in the link you provided, but couldnt 'get in'.

Richard, am more interested at this point in hosting a server under windows; the client tools come a little later.

Stoolpigeon; yes, I am keen on the ODBC connectivity, but initially wanted to just view an existing PostgreSQL database that I've inherrited, and am looking for an easy way to host it without the hastle of installing Unix first.

Cheers guys,
Steve

Steve Lewy
Solutions Developer
steve@lewycomputing.com.au
(dont cut corners or you'll go round in circles)

 

[Leland123]

Hi Steve101,

You might consider dbExperts Postgresql.

http://www.dbexperts.net/postgresql

LelandJ

Leland F. Jackson, CPA
Software - Master (TM)

http://www.smvfp.com

Nothing Runs Like the Fox

 

[stoolpigeon]

if you just want to look at it without using it in any kind of production environment- Cygwin might be the way to go. It runs on top of windows as a unix emulator. Sort of like Wine in reverse I guess. It is free and might give you what you want.

 

[Steve101]

Thanks folks for your good advise; at this point all I want to do is a simple evaluation of an existing database, so I'm not too keen to outlay money on the Windows software (yet), though strategically, it could be a good way to go - the particular environment I'm working in is predominently SQL Server based, so probably not for this job.

Stoolpigeon, is Cygwin 'safe' to install on my 'production' laptop; if I install and 'run' it and postgreSQL, am I likely to envounter any stability hassles and/or am I likely to be able to remove it safely without any problems. Your assessment of this would be helpful,

Cheers

Steve Lewy
Solutions Developer
steve@lewycomputing.com.au
(dont cut corners or you'll go round in circles)

 

[stoolpigeon]

I have not used cygwin much. i have installed it on win98 and win2k boxes and played with it a bit. i have found it easier to just use linux.

In my shop we ran everything on MS Access and SQL Server (6.5 and 2000). When I wanted to investigate postgreSQL for a new project, I dug up an old - low end pc and installed RedHat linux on it. It was no more difficult than installing windows and came with postgreSQL. Then I just followed the online docs to get it running and got going. It was all so simple that I just went that route- figured out it would work for what we needed and we ordered our server for the project with RedHat already installed by Dell.

On the machines where I installed cygwin - i ran it - goofed around and removed it without any problems. I would just recommend you not judge PostgreSQL performance based upon running it that way. As I'm sure you understand - it will run better natively.

I believe from the main PostgreSQL site you can find docs that give step by step instructions for installing the db this way and some faq stuff.