<!-- $PostgreSQL: pgsql/doc/src/sgml/ref/pg_restore.sgml,v 1.86 2010/02/24 16:27:40 momjian Exp $ -->

<!-- $PostgreSQL: pgsql/doc/src/sgml/ref/pg_restore.sgml,v 1.87 2010/05/15 18:11:07 tgl Exp $ -->

<refentry id="APP-PGRESTORE">

<refmeta>

<para>

<application>pg_restore</application> can operate in two modes.

If a database name is specified, the archive is restored directly into

If a database name is specified, <application>pg_restore</application>

connects to that database and restores archive contents directly into

the database. Otherwise, a script containing the SQL

commands necessary to rebuild the database is created and written

to a file or standard output.The script output is equivalent to

to a file or standard output.This script output is equivalent to

the plain text output format of <application>pg_dump</application>.

Some of the options controlling the output are therefore analogous to

<application>pg_dump</application> options.

<term><literal>tar</></term>

<listitem>

<para>

The archive is a <command>tar</command> archive. Using this

archive format allows reordering and/or exclusion of schema

elements at the time the database is restored. It is also

possible to limit which data is reloaded at restore time.

The archive is a <command>tar</command> archive.

</para>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>

<listitem>

<para>

The archive is in the custom format of

<application>pg_dump</application>. This is the most

flexible format in that it allows reordering of data load

as well as schema elements. This format is also compressed

by default.

<application>pg_dump</application>.

</para>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>

<listitem>

<para>

List the contents of the archive. The output of this operation

can be used with the <option>-L</option> option to restrict

and reorder the items that are restored.

can be used as input to the <option>-L</option> option. Note that

if filtering switches such as <option>-n</> or <option>-t</> are

used with <option>-l</>, they will restrict the items listed.

</para>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>

<term><option>--use-list=<replaceable class="parameter">list-file</replaceable></option></term>

<listitem>

<para>

Restore elements in <replaceable class="PARAMETER">

list-file</replaceable> only, and in the

order they appear in the file. Lines can be moved and can also

be commented out by placing a <literal>;</literal> at the

start of the line. (See below for examples.)

Restore only those archive elements that are listed in <replaceable

class="PARAMETER">list-file</replaceable>, and restore them in the

order they appear in the file. Note that

if filtering switches such as <option>-n</> or <option>-t</> are

used with <option>-L</>, they will further restrict the items restored.

</para>

<para>

<replaceable class="PARAMETER">list-file</> is normally created by

editing the output of a previous <option>-l</> operation.

Lines can be moved or removed, and can also

be commented out by placing a semicolon (<literal>;</literal>) at the

start of the line. See below for examples.

</para>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>