Updating embedded Postgres

[rgafron]

Hi all,

Are we allowed to update the version of postgres that comes embedded with Servoy, or do we need to wait until Servoy updates things on their end. There is a feature in Postgres called "SQL/MED (SQL Management of External Data)" that I would like to explore. From what I can tell, I need Postgres 9.1 for that, and the version that comes with Servoy 6 appears to be 9.0.3.

Either way, are there some guidelines that describe the process for updating the embedded version of Postgres? The Servoy wiki entry I found says "to be described".

As always, thanks for any guidance that you can provide.

Ron

[ROCLASI]

Hi Ron,

As far as I know there is no official Servoy update/upgrade strategy on PostgreSQL installations that are bundled with Servoy.
Other than waiting for the next Servoy version you can also use the PostgreSQL community installer provided by EnterpriseDB (EDB). This will install PostgreSQL as a service on your machine and you can then connect your Servoy instance to it.
The installer is pretty smart and knows if another PostgreSQL instance is already using port 5432 (default Pg port) and tries to grab one higher.
But Servoy Developer does start AND stop it's own Pg instance so if you don't have any Servoy instance running then there is no Pg running either and the installer will use port 5432 (Developer will NOT start/stop the EDB/Pg instance or does it need to).
These ports can be set in the postgresql.conf files in their respective data directory. Servoy's instance has this file in the 'database' directory and EDB's install houses it in the 'data' directory.
For instance on Mac that means in /Library/PostgreSQL/9.1/data.

One (big) benefit of using the EDB community installer is that when the PostgreSQL Global Development Group releases a new update you just have to download this new installer, run it and 1 minute later you are up to date and running again.
Be advised that EDB also has it's own version based on PostgreSQL (Postgres Plus Advanced Server), this one DOES cost money so make sure you download the correct installer.

Hope this helps.

[rgafron]

Hi Robert,

Thanks for that information. I'll look into that more closely.

Are there times when it'd be a bad idea to put in a new version of Postgres because there may be something that Servoy isn't supporting yet? With some components, such as the reporting packages, you sometimes have to stay "in sync" with the version Servoy is using. I'm thinking it's probably not a problem unless Postgres would make some dramatic structural change.

Anyway, thanks again for your help.

Ron

[ROCLASI]

Hi Ron,

As long as PostgreSQL keeps supporting the SQL standards (and one could argue that PostgreSQL is the poster-child of adhering to SQL standards) then there shouldn't be any problems installing a new version. Just make sure you also keep the installed JDBC driver version in sync with your newest PostgreSQL instance.
Also be aware that installing PostgreSQL using the EDB installer will make this Pg instance just like any other RDBMS flavors. It's not tied into Servoy, you just connect to it.
So Servoy Developer will not start/stop it and you can't create new databases (unlike with the bundled version) via Developer. You use a DBA tool for that (like PgAdmin).

Hope this helps.

[rgafron]

Hi Robert,

Thanks for that information. Yes, very helpful.

I tend to use pgadmin for most of my database updates anyway, so that won't be a big deal.

I'll talk this over with my "Servoy Obi-wan" and see how we should proceed.

And I think I'll post a question on the forum to see if Servoy has made any firm plans yet on moving the embedded version or Postgres to 9.1. That would solve the problem right there

Thanks again. I appreciate the information and your taking the time to respond.

Have a good day.

Ron