postgresql start db

Question

I have postgresql running (/opt/local/lib/postgresql90/bin).

The data base is set up @ /Users/demet8/postgres/data.

I check to make sure postgresql is running with

ps aux | grep postgres

demet8 9851 0.0 0.1 614276 1184 ?? Ss 12:40PM 0:00.24 postgres: autovacuum launcher process
demet8 9850 0.0 0.0 614020 436 ?? Ss 12:40PM 0:00.91 postgres: wal writer process
demet8 9849 0.0 0.0 614020 496 ?? Ss 12:40PM 0:01.22 postgres: writer process
demet8 9847 0.0 0.1 614020 2248 s002 S 12:40PM 0:00.61 /opt/local/lib/postgresql90/bin/postgres -D /Users/demet8/postgres/data demet8 11127 0.0 0.0 599820 468 s002 S+ 2:05PM 0:00.00 grep postgres demet8 9852 0.0 0.0 610092 368 ?? Ss 12:40PM 0:00.26 postgres: stats collector process

I go back into: /opt/local/lib/postgresql90/bin & now try to start the db with ./pg_ctl start. This is the error msg I get:

pg_ctl: no database directory specified and environment variable PGDATA unset Try "pg_ctl --help" for more information.

Any suggestions on to what I can be doing wrong. I googled around the web for answers & I haven't found a solution.

I want to be able to enter the db once it's running. I used ./pg_ctl start a couple of times to get into the db & it worked. For some reason it doesn't work now. I also tried $su - then su -postgres & the db responds back with "sorry." I'll have to keep trying until I figure this thing out. Thanks. — demet8
– demet8, Commented Jul 19, 2011 at 18:46
What do you mean by "to enter the db" and "to get into the db"? — Milen A. Radev
– Milen A. Radev, Commented Jul 19, 2011 at 19:11
If you want to start an interactive session then the command is psql — Clodoaldo Neto
– Clodoaldo Neto, Commented Jul 19, 2011 at 19:22
I wanted to get an interactive session going is what I was trying to explain & I should have clarified that better. I just figured it out. I entered ./psql postgres & it worked. Thank you for your help. — demet8
– demet8, Commented Jul 19, 2011 at 19:36

Clodoaldo Neto · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-19 18:20:12Z

1

$ su -
# su - postgres

Proceed from there.

answered Jul 19, 2011 at 18:20

Clodoaldo Neto

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Suresh · Accepted Answer · 2022-03-02 04:44:05Z

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I know this question is already answered but, if you are new to Postgres and seeing similar issues, try the below commands to resolve the error pg_ctl: no database directory specified and environment variable PGDATA unset Try "pg_ctl --help" for more information.

1. su - postgres
2. find / -name pg_ctl --> gives you the location where pg_ctl present, in my case it is there in `/usr/lib/postgresql/11/bin/`
3. /usr/lib/postgresql/11/bin/pg_ctl -D /var/lib/postgresql/11/main

answered Mar 2, 2022 at 4:44

Suresh

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