NAME

       pg_virtualenv - Create a throw-away PostgreSQL environment for running regression tests

SYNOPSIS

       pg_virtualenv [OPTIONS] [-v 'version ...'] [command]

DESCRIPTION

       pg_virtualenv creates a virtual PostgreSQL server environment, and sets environment
       variables such that command can access the PostgreSQL database server(s). The servers are
       destroyed when command exits.

       The environment variables PGHOST, PGDATABASE, PGUSER, and PGPASSWORD will be set. Per
       default, a single new cluster is created, using the newest PostgreSQL server version
       installed. The cluster will use the first available port number starting from 5432, and
       PGPORT will be set.

       When clusters for more than one versions are created, they will differ in the port number
       used, and PGPORT is not set. The clusters are named version/regress. To access a cluster,
       set PGCLUSTER=version/regress. For ease of access, the clusters are also registered in
       /etc/postgresql-common/pg_service.conf, with the version number as cluster name. Clusters
       can be accessed by passing the connection string "service=version", e.g. psql service=9.2.

       When invoked as root, the clusters are created in /etc/postgresql/ as usual; for other
       users, PG_CLUSTER_CONF_ROOT and PGSYSCONFDIR are set to a temporary directory where all
       files belonging to the clusters are created.

OPTIONS

       -a  Use all PostgreSQL server versions installed.

       -v version ...
           Use these versions (space-separated list).

       -c pg_createcluster options
           Extra options to pass to pg_createcluster.

       -i initdb options
           Extra initdb options to pass to pg_createcluster.

       -o guc=value
           Configuration option to set in the postgresql.conf file, passed to pg_createcluster.

       -s  Launch a shell inside the virtual environment when command fails.

       -t  Install clusters in a temporary directory, even when running as root.

       -h  Show program help.

EXAMPLE

         # pg_virtualenv make check

NOTES

       When run with fakeroot(1), pg_virtualenv will fall back to the non-root mode of operation.
       Running "fakeroot pg_virtualenv" as root will fail, though.

ENVIRONMENT

       PG_VIRTUALENV_NEWPID=yes
           When non-empty, pg_virtualenv will re-exec itself using newpid(1).

       PG_VIRTUALENV_UNSHARE=flags
           When non-empty, pg_virtualenv will re-exec itself using unshare(1) using these flags.

       PGPORT=n
           When set, the value is used for the (single) cluster created.

SEE ALSO

       initdb(1), pg_createcluster(1).

AUTHOR

       Christoph Berg <myon@debian.org>