PostgreSQL Programmer's Guide

The PostgreSQL Development Team

Edited by

Thomas Lockhart

PostgreSQL is copyright (C) 1998 by the Postgres Global Development Group.

Table of Contents
Summary
1. Introduction
Resources
Terminology
Notation
Y2K Statement
Copyrights and Trademarks
2. Architecture
Postgres Architectural Concepts
3. Extending SQL: An Overview
How Extensibility Works
The Postgres Type System
About the Postgres System Catalogs
4. Extending SQL: Functions
Query Language (SQL) Functions
SQL Functions on Base Types
SQL Functions on Composite Types
Programming Language Functions
Programming Language Functions on Base Types
Programming Language Functions on Composite Types
Caveats
5. Extending SQL: Types
User-Defined Types
Functions Needed for a User-Defined Type
Large Objects
6. Extending SQL: Operators
7. Extending SQL: Aggregates
8. The Postgres Rule System
What is a Querytree?
The Parts of a Querytree
Views and the Rule System
Implementation of Views in Postgres
How SELECT Rules Work
View Rules in Non-SELECT Statements
The Power of Views in Postgres
Implementation Side Effects
Rules on INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE
Differences to View Rules
How These Rules Work
Cooperation with Views
Rules and Permissions
Rules versus Triggers
9. Interfacing Extensions To Indices
10. GiST Indices
11. Procedural Languages
Installing Procedural Languages
PL/pgSQL
Overview
Description
Examples
PL/Tcl
Overview
Description
12. Linking Dynamically-Loaded Functions
ULTRIX
DEC OSF/1
SunOS 4.x, Solaris 2.x and HP-UX
13. Triggers
Trigger Creation
Interaction with the Trigger Manager
Visibility of Data Changes
Examples
14. Server Programming Interface
Interface Functions
SPI_connect
SPI_finish
SPI_exec
SPI_prepare
SPI_saveplan
SPI_execp
Interface Support Functions
SPI_copytuple
SPI_modifytuple
SPI_fnumber
SPI_fname
SPI_getvalue
SPI_getbinval
SPI_gettype
SPI_gettypeid
SPI_getrelname
SPI_palloc
SPI_repalloc
SPI_pfree
Memory Management
Visibility of Data Changes
Examples
15. Large Objects
Historical Note
Inversion Large Objects
Large Object Interfaces
Creating a Large Object
Importing a Large Object
Exporting a Large Object
Opening an Existing Large Object
Writing Data to a Large Object
Seeking on a Large Object
Closing a Large Object Descriptor
Built in registered functions
Accessing Large Objects from LIBPQ
Sample Program
16. libpq
Database Connection Functions
Query Execution Functions
Asynchronous Query Processing
Fast Path
Asynchronous Notification
Functions Associated with the COPY Command
libpq Tracing Functions
libpq Control Functions
User Authentication Functions
Environment Variables
Caveats
Sample Programs
Sample Program 1
Sample Program 2
Sample Program 3
17. libpq C++ Binding
Control and Initialization
Environment Variables
Database Connection Functions
Database Environment Class: PGenv
Database Class: PGdatabase
Query Execution Functions
Asynchronous Notification
Functions Associated with the COPY Command
Caveats
18. pgtcl
Commands
Examples
pgtcl Command Reference Information
pg_connect
pg_disconnect
pg_conndefaults
pg_exec
pg_result
pg_select
pg_listen
pg_lo_creat
pg_lo_open
pg_lo_close
pg_lo_read
pg_lo_write
pg_lo_lseek
pg_lo_tell
pg_lo_unlink
pg_lo_import
pg_lo_export
19. ecpg - Embedded SQL in C
Why Embedded SQL?
The Concept
How To Use egpc
Preprocessor
Library
Error handling
Limitations
Porting From Other RDBMS Packages
Installation
For the Developer
ToDo List
The Preprocessor
A Complete Example
The Library
20. ODBC Interface
Background
Windows Applications
Writing Applications
Unix Installation
Building the Driver
Configuration Files
ApplixWare
Configuration
Common Problems
Debugging ApplixWare ODBC Connections
Running the ApplixWare Demo
Useful Macros
Common Problems
Debugging ApplixWare ODBC Connections
Running the ApplixWare Demo
Useful Macros
Supported Platforms
21. JDBC Interface
Building the JDBC Interface
Compiling the Driver
Installing the Driver
Preparing the Database for JDBC
Using the Driver
Importing JDBC
Loading the Driver
Connecting to the Database
Issuing a Query and Processing the Result
Using the Statement Interface
Using the ResultSet Interface
Performing Updates
Closing the Connection
Using Large Objects
Postgres Extensions to the JDBC API
Further Reading
22. Genetic Query Optimization in Database Systems
Query Handling as a Complex Optimization Problem
Genetic Algorithms (GA)
Genetic Query Optimization (GEQO) in Postgres
Future Implementation Tasks for Postgres GEQO
Basic Improvements
Further Improvements
23. Frontend/Backend Protocol
Overview
Protocol
Startup
Query
Function Call
Notification Responses
Cancelling Requests in Progress
Termination
Message Data Types
Message Formats
24. Postgres Signals
25. gcc Default Optimizations
26. Backend Interface
BKI File Format
General Commands
Macro Commands
Debugging Commands
Example
27. Page Files
Page Structure
Files
Bugs
A. Documentation
Documentation Roadmap
Documentation Sources
Document Structure
The Documentation Project
Styles and Conventions
Authoring Tools
Building Documentation
Hardcopy Generation for v6.4
RTF Cleanup Procedure
Toolsets
RPM installation on Linux
Manual installation of tools
Alternate Toolsets
SQL References
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