Hi, Here is the best cludge so far. To load the module 'tablefunc' from the contrib/ directory, process the output of the 'pg_config' program with unix commands. The 'pg_config' program is often distributed in a package separate from postgresql.
\set tablefunc `pg_config|grep SHAREDIR|sed "s/SHAREDIR = \(.*\)/\1\/contrib\/tablefunc.sql/g"` \i :tablefunc This isn't very robust, but at least it allows me to load and unload stuff from a single sql script on two different distros. Cheers! On 28.01.11, Steve White wrote: > Hello, all! > > What are best practices regarding the loading of postgresql modules, say > from the contrib/ directory; specifically, with regard to portability? > > I would like to distribute an SQL script which loads a module, and works > with as little further fiddling as possible. > > known options > ============= > > Within a session, or in a script, one can use > \i <explicit file path> > But within a script this has the weakness that the file path varies from > one system distribution to another. > > One can start psql with > psql ... -f <explicit file path> > but that's a measure taken outside the script, to done either with session, > or else be done by a further measure such as a shell script. > > Ideally, the location of the default modules directory (or installation > directory) should be available within a session in some variable or from > some function call. > > There are some pre-defined variables, listed in a session by > show all; > but I don't see anything like a directory path there. > Maybe a built-in function returning this directory? Searched to no avail: > http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.2/interactive/functions.html > > There has been talk about a bigger solution on > http://wiki.postgresql.org/wiki/Module_Manager > but little seems to have happened there in some years. > > An environment variable > $libdir, > is mentioned > http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.2/static/runtime-config-client.html > but this seems not to be present within a session. > It seems to be expanded within the LANGUAGE C environment, for instance in > tablefunc.sql > ------------------------------------------------- > CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION crosstab2(text) > RETURNS setof tablefunc_crosstab_2 > AS '$libdir/tablefunc','crosstab' > LANGUAGE C STABLE STRICT; > ------------------------------------------------- > > Thanks! > > -- > | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > | Steve White +49(331)7499-202 > | E-Science Zi. 27 Villa Turbulenz > | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > | Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam (AIP) > | An der Sternwarte 16, D-14482 Potsdam > | > | Vorstand: Prof. Dr. Matthias Steinmetz, Peter A. Stolz > | > | Stiftung privaten Rechts, Stiftungsverzeichnis Brandenburg: III/7-71-026 > | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - | Steve White +49(331)7499-202 | E-Science Zi. 27 Villa Turbulenz | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - | Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam (AIP) | An der Sternwarte 16, D-14482 Potsdam | | Vorstand: Prof. Dr. Matthias Steinmetz, Peter A. Stolz | | Stiftung privaten Rechts, Stiftungsverzeichnis Brandenburg: III/7-71-026 | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- Sent via pgsql-general mailing list (pgsql-general@postgresql.org) To make changes to your subscription: http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-general
