Your opinion about PostgreSQL tools for Mac

Classic Servoy
1

Hi All

As we soon will start to use PostgreSQL database (for the first time :-) along Sybase iAnywhere, I am interested in what admin tools you are using and which one you could suggest as good ones. Basically (I think) we need an equivalent to the Sybase Central and Interactive SQL tools. May be there are other useful tools for development. As we further down the road will use PostGIS in addition to PostgreSQL, it would be welcome if the tools would support that too (if there exists such tools to support both technologies anyway).

At the moment, www.postgresqlformac.com and www.postgresql.org are my references on the web. Surely there are more :-)

So I am happy to hear your suggestions. Platform is Mac OS X 10.4.x (10.5. soon .-) and Mac OS X Server 10.4.x

Thanks a lot and best regards, Robert

2

Hi Robert,

I use the following tools for PostgreSQL.

  • PgAdmin3 OSS cross-platform DBA application
  • PhpPgAdmin OSS web-based DBA tool
  • DbWrench commercial graphical DB reverse- and forward engineering tool (Java app)

And of course psql, the interactive, terminal based, front end that comes with PostgreSQL.

Other tools you can use are:

I am sure there are a few more.

For more references and an easy PostgreSQL installer you could also check out the excellent site of Marc Liyanage.

Hope this helps.

3

For more references and an easy PostgreSQL installer you could also check out the excellent site of Marc Liyanage.

And he’s another ol’ Swiss German guy I think! :D

4

John

That’s true and not far away from me :-)

Best regards, Robert

john.allen:

For more references and an easy PostgreSQL installer you could also check out the excellent site of Marc Liyanage.

And he’s another ol’ Swiss German guy I think! :D

5

Hi Robert,

Although we have licenses for Aqua Data Studio and DbVisualizer, we find ourselves using the free pgAdmin 99% of the time. The latest version of pgAdmin, 1.6.3, suffer from a couple of small interface quirks on the Mac.

We also run Rails migrations from TextMate to modify PostgreSQL databases directly. Just remember to restart Servoy afterwards.

6

Hi All

Thanks for all your tips, I conclude to start with start with the pgAdmin3 tool (if no more votes in favour of other tools come in .-)

Three questions remain:

  • Does anybody use the PostgreSQL Client Tools from the postgresqlformac.com web site?

  • The Marc Liyanage build is installed into /usr/local/… whereas the postgresqlformac build is installed into /Library

When is this occuring as a difference in practical day to day usage?
Which install location is to prefer and why?

  • Can the PostgreSQL tools be used to admin the Sybase db as well (in a sensible way)?

Thanks a lot, Robert

swingman:
Hi Robert,

Although we have licenses for Aqua Data Studio and DbVisualizer, we find ourselves using the free pgAdmin 99% of the time. The latest version of pgAdmin, 1.6.3, suffer from a couple of small interface quirks on the Mac.

We also run Rails migrations from TextMate to modify PostgreSQL databases directly. Just remember to restart Servoy afterwards.

7

Robert Huber:
Three questions remain:

  • Does anybody use the PostgreSQL Client Tools from the postgresqlformac.com web site?

  • The Marc Liyanage build is installed into /usr/local/… whereas the postgresqlformac build is installed into /Library

I haven’t used the postgresqlformac build, only Marc Liyanage’s build which has served us fine for the last 3 years. I don’t think the location matters for normal use. Some programmers like to keep certain directories free of changes, others like to stick to Apple’s guidelines for where to put stuff.

Also, if you have the Apple Developer tools installed, it is not that hard to compile PostgreSQL from source. Even if you don’t know how to program in C. Then you can also add optional modules like fuzzystringmatch and tsearch. Search the forum – I think I posted instructions a while back.

Robert Huber:

  • Can the PostgreSQL tools be used to admin the Sybase db as well (in a sensible way)?

I suspect not. I would use Aqua Data Studio if you need one tool for multiple databases. For PostgreSQL only, I would use pgAdminIII – new version on its way.

Hope this helps.