PostgreSQL command psql not found, trouble adding to $PATH

Question

I am trying to add PostgreSQL to my $PATH variable. I tried this to see where psql is

whereis psql

To which I got a null response. I do have the PostgreSQL.app installed so I clicked on "Open psql" from the GUI and it prompted the Terminal to open and display:

 /Applications/Postgres.app/Contents/MacOS/bin/psql; exit;

So I tried to add the above to the $PATH variable in my ~/.bash_profile (which may have its own problems since I don't know if you can add paths with .app extensions to the $PATH) but when I restart my Terminal and do echo $PATH | grep Postgres.app I get nothin'.

franksort · Accepted Answer · 2014-03-27 23:44:26Z

4

Here's an approach to take help isolate problems you may have.

Step 1: See if you can add PostgreSQL to your PATH without using Bash dot files.

$ export PATH=/Applications/Postgres.app/Contents/MacOS/bin:$PATH;
$ which psql

If this works...

Step 2: Verify that `~\.bash_profile` is being sourced when a new user session is started.

Add the following to the end of your ~/.bash_profile:

echo "From bash_profile.";

Now restart Terminal.app or iTerm and see if that message appears about your prompt.

If this works...

Step 3: Add PATH to `~/.bash_profile`.

In ~/.bash_profile:

export PATH=/Applications/Postgres.app/Contents/MacOS/bin:$PATH;

Restart your terminal and run:

$ which psql

If you're not seeing:

/Applications/Postgres.app/Contents/MacOS/bin/psql

Then it might be time to scrap trying to install PostgreSQL as a Mac package and use Homebrew.

NOTE: It's psql and NOT pgsql.

edited Mar 27, 2014 at 23:44

answered Mar 27, 2014 at 23:24

franksort

3,1532 gold badges21 silver badges29 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

12 Comments

Thalatta Over a year ago

do I need to restart Terminal in between setting the variable and the whereis command? Is there a command to reset Terminal that is more legit than just closing and opening Terminal.app?

franksort Over a year ago

No, don't restart the terminal in Step 1. After you run the export cmd, what does echo $PATH; return?

Thalatta Over a year ago

I think it's Homebrew time :). is it just brew install postgresql ?

franksort Over a year ago

Wish I could be of more help. The official install docs for Postgres.app are very similar to my answer postgresapp.com/documentation but I'm stumped. Good luck!

Thalatta Over a year ago

well in anyways the Homebrew approach works beautifully. thank you for all yr help!

|

mishap · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-03 18:11:59Z

1

From the Postgres documentation page:

sudo mkdir -p /etc/paths.d && echo /Applications/Postgres.app/Contents/Versions/latest/bin | sudo tee /etc/paths.d/postgresapp

restart your terminal and you will have it in your path.

answered Mar 3, 2017 at 18:11

mishap

8,56514 gold badges63 silver badges93 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

PostgreSQL command psql not found, trouble adding to $PATH

2 Answers 2

Step 1: See if you can add PostgreSQL to your PATH without using Bash dot files.

Step 2: Verify that `~\.bash_profile` is being sourced when a new user session is started.

Step 3: Add PATH to `~/.bash_profile`.

12 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

Step 1: See if you can add PostgreSQL to your PATH without using Bash dot files.

Step 2: Verify that ~\.bash_profile is being sourced when a new user session is started.

Step 3: Add PATH to ~/.bash_profile.

12 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related

Step 2: Verify that `~\.bash_profile` is being sourced when a new user session is started.

Step 3: Add PATH to `~/.bash_profile`.