<refsynopsisdiv>

<cmdsynopsis>

<command>initdb</command>

<arg rep="repeat"><replaceable>option</></arg>

<arg rep="repeat"><replaceable>option</replaceable></arg>

<group choice="plain">

<arg>--pgdata</arg>

<arg>--pgdata=</arg>

<arg>-D </arg>

<replaceable>directory</replaceable>

</group>

</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>

<term><option>-X <replaceable class="parameter">directory</replaceable></option></term>

<term><option>--xlogdir=<replaceable class="parameter">directory</replaceable></option></term>

<term><option>--pwfile=<replaceable>filename</></option></term>

<listitem>

<para>

This option specifies thedirectory where the transaction log

should be stored.

Makes <command>initdb</command> read thedatabase superuser's password

from a file. The first line of the file is taken as the password.

</para>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>

<term><option>-U <replaceable class="parameter">username</replaceable></option></term>

<term><option>--username=<replaceable class="parameter">username</replaceable></option></term>

</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>

<term><option>--pwfile=<replaceable>filename</></option></term>

<term><option>-X <replaceable class="parameter">directory</replaceable></option></term>

<term><option>--xlogdir=<replaceable class="parameter">directory</replaceable></option></term>

<listitem>

<para>

Makes <command>initdb</command> read thedatabase superuser's password

from a file. The first line of the file is taken as the password.

This option specifies thedirectory where the transaction log

should be stored.

</para>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>

</variablelist>

</para>

<refsynopsisdiv>

<cmdsynopsis>

<command>pg_controldata</command>

<arg><replaceable class="parameter">option</replaceable></arg>

<arg><replaceable class="parameter">datadir</replaceable></arg>

</cmdsynopsis>

</refsynopsisdiv>

<title>Starting the Server</title>

<para>

To startup a server:

To startthe server:

<screen>

<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>pg_ctl start</userinput>

</screen>

</para>

<para>

An example of startingthe server, and waiting until the server is

acceptingconnection:

To startthe server, waiting until the server is

acceptingconnections:

<screen>

<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>pg_ctl -w start</userinput>

</screen>

</para>

<para>

For a server using port 5433, and

To start the server using port 5433, and

running without <function>fsync</function>, use:

<screen>

<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>pg_ctl -o "-F -p 5433" start</userinput>

<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>pg_ctl stop</userinput>

</screen>

The <option>-m</option> option allows control over

<emphasis>how</emphasis> the server shuts down.

<emphasis>how</emphasis> the server shuts down:

<screen>

<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>pg_ctl stop -m fast</userinput>

</screen>

</para>

</refsect2>

</para>

<para>

To restart using port 5433 and disable <function>fsync</> upon restart:

To restart using port 5433, disabling <function>fsync</> upon restart:

<screen>

<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>pg_ctl -o "-F -p 5433" restart</userinput>

</screen>

The <command>postgres</command> command can also be called in

single-user mode. The primary use for this mode is during

bootstrapping by <xref linkend="app-initdb">. Sometimes it is used

for debugging or disaster recovery (but note that running a single-user

for debugging or disaster recovery; note that running a single-user

server is not truly suitable for debugging the server, since no

realistic interprocess communication and locking will happen).

realistic interprocess communication and locking will happen.

When invoked in single-user

mode from the shell, the user can enter queries and the results

will be printed to the screen, but in a form that is more useful

<term><option>-P</option></term>

<listitem>

<para>

Ignore system indexes when reading system tables (but still update

the indexes when modifying the tables). This is useful when

Ignore system indexes when reading system tables,but still update

the indexes when modifying the tables. This is useful when

recovering from damaged system indexes.

</para>

</listitem>

<para>

To start <command>postgres</command> with a specific

port:

port, e.g. 1234:

<screen>

<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>postgres -p 1234</userinput>

</screen>

This command will start up <command>postgres</command>

communicating through the port 1234. In order to connect to this

server using <application>psql</>, you would need to run it as

To connect to this server using <application>psql</>, specify this port with the -p option:

<screen>

<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>psql -p 1234</userinput>

</screen>