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$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql-server/doc/src/sgml/ref/initlocation.sgml,v 1.21 2003/08/31 17:32:23 petere Exp $
PostgreSQL documentation
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<refentry id="APP-INITLOCATION">
 <refmeta>
  <refentrytitle id="APP-INITLOCATION-TITLE"><application>initlocation</application></refentrytitle>
  <manvolnum>1</manvolnum>
  <refmiscinfo>Application</refmiscinfo>
 </refmeta>

 <refnamediv>
  <refname>initlocation</refname>
  <refpurpose>create a secondary <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> database storage area</refpurpose>
 </refnamediv>

 <indexterm zone="app-initlocation">
  <primary>initlocation</primary>
 </indexterm>

 <refsynopsisdiv>
  <cmdsynopsis>
   <command>initlocation</command>
   <arg choice="plain"><replaceable>directory</replaceable></arg>
  </cmdsynopsis>
 </refsynopsisdiv>

 <refsect1 id="R1-APP-INITLOCATION-1">
  <title>Description</title>
  <para>
   <application>initlocation</application> 
   creates a new <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> secondary database storage area.
   See the discussion under <xref linkend="SQL-CREATEDATABASE" endterm="SQL-CREATEDATABASE-title">
   about how to manage and use secondary storage areas. If the argument does not contain
   a slash and is not valid as a path, it is assumed to be an environment variable,
   which is referenced. See the examples at the end.
  </para>
  <para>
   In order to use this command you must be logged in (using <command>su</command>, for example)
   as the database superuser.
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1 id="R1-APP-INITLOCATION-2">
  <title>Examples</title>

   <para>
    To create a database in an alternate location, using an
    environment variable:
<screen>
<prompt>$ </prompt><userinput>export PGDATA2=/opt/postgres/data</userinput>
</screen>
    Stop and start <command>postmaster</> so it sees the <envar>PGDATA2</envar>
    environment variable.  The system must be configured so the
    <command>postmaster</> sees <envar>PGDATA2</envar> every time it starts.  Finally:
<screen>
<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>initlocation PGDATA2</userinput>
<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>createdb -D PGDATA2 testdb</userinput>
</screen>
   </para>

   <para>
    Alternatively, if you allow absolute paths you could write:
<screen>
<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>initlocation /opt/postgres/data</userinput>
<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>createdb -D /opt/postgres/data/testdb testdb</userinput>
</screen>
   </para>
 </refsect1>

</refentry>

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