The 7.4 psql most certainly will connect to a 7.2.4, and a 7.2.4 psql will connect to a 7.4 server...
[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~# cd /usr/local/pgsql-7.4/bin/ [EMAIL PROTECTED]:/usr/local/pgsql-7.4/bin# ./psql -p5472 -Upostgres phppgadmin Welcome to psql 7.4, the PostgreSQL interactive terminal. Type: \copyright for distribution terms \h for help with SQL commands \? for help on internal slash commands \g or terminate with semicolon to execute query \q to quit phppgadmin=> select version(); version --------------------------------------------------------------- PostgreSQL 7.2.4 on i586-pc-linux-gnu, compiled by GCC 2.95.3 (1 row) phppgadmin=> \q [EMAIL PROTECTED]:/usr/local/pgsql-7.4/bin# cd /usr/local/pgsql-7.2.4/bin/ [EMAIL PROTECTED]:/usr/local/pgsql-7.2.4/bin# ./psql -p5474 -Upostgres phppgadmin Welcome to psql, the PostgreSQL interactive terminal. Type: \copyright for distribution terms \h for help with SQL commands \? for help on internal slash commands \g or terminate with semicolon to execute query \q to quit phppgadmin=# select version(); version ------------------------------------------------------------- PostgreSQL 7.4 on i586-pc-linux-gnu, compiled by GCC 2.95.3 (1 row) phppgadmin=# \q [EMAIL PROTECTED]:/usr/local/pgsql-7.2.4/bin# your problem is that the psql program is not version aware, so the shorthand command like \dt or \df will only work against the specific version that psql is released with. There has been talk of making psql more backward knowledgeable, check the archives for many discussions on this topic. you also might want to try a different admin tool, some of them, like phpPgAdmin, are able to function completely across versions. Robert Treat On Wed, 2003-11-26 at 08:12, Daniel Kalchev wrote: > I know this is an attempt to save myself reading the mailing list, but still > the issue remains: > > the psql from version 7.4 does not talk to a 7.2.4 database. > > The CHANGELOG indicates, that both server and libraries keep compatibility > with versions after 6.3 - still there is no switch in psql to specify usage of > the pre-7.3 protocol and the 7.2 server and 7.4 psql apparently do not > negotiate. > > Daniel > > > ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- > TIP 9: the planner will ignore your desire to choose an index scan if your > joining column's datatypes do not match -- Build A Brighter Lamp :: Linux Apache {middleware} PostgreSQL ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- TIP 5: Have you checked our extensive FAQ? http://www.postgresql.org/docs/faqs/FAQ.html