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Sorry for this noob question, but I'm not sure what I just did regarding PostgreSQL. I downloaded and installed Postres.app from http://postgresapp.com/ Then I decided that I no longer wanted it and would rather just install PostgreSQL with Homebrew. So I dragged Postgres.app from my applications folder to my trash and then cleaned my trash and rebooted. Now I'm discovering that I can run psql from the command line with no problem and I appear to be able to create and connect to PostgreSQL databases and so forth. So my question is: was PostgreSQL already installed on my system (Mac 10.8.2 - Mountain Lion)? When I installed Postgres.app, was that just a wrapper that started and stopped the database for me? (If so, why was it a 28 MB download?) Or did I install PostgreSQL when I installed Postgres.app?

tadasajon
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1 Answers1

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According to this you've done ok with the Trash. You can go through the list of folders it mentions as installation directories and remove them if still present:

  • Binaries: /Applications/Postgres.app/Contents/MacOS/bin
  • Headers: /Applications/Postgres.app/Contents/MacOS/include
  • Libraries: /Applications/Postgres.app/Contents/MacOS/lib
  • Shared Libraries: /Applications/Postgres.app/Contents/MacOS/share
  • Data: ~/Library/Application\ Support/Postgres/var

Also you can check your psql installation running:

$ which psql

It should come from /usr/bin/ if it was installed properly by some source (macports, brew) and I presume the PostgresApp used its own bin folder for it.

Will Vousden
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Máté
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  • I don't have a `/Applications/Postgres.app` folder, since I trashed it. I do have the directory `~/Library/Application Support/Postgres/var`, though -- but I'm not sure what it's purpose is. Can I just delete the entire `~/Library/Application Support/Postgres` directory? (`var` is the only sub-directory). And does this mean that PostgreSQL came pre-installed on my Mac? – tadasajon Nov 09 '12 at 14:38
  • okay, I deleted the `~/Library/Application Support/Postgres` directory and now when I try to run `psql` from the command line I get a "could not connect to server" message. So I guess I got rid of PostgreSQL and can now reinstall it using Homebrew. – tadasajon Nov 09 '12 at 15:02
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    I don't think your Mountain Lion came with postgres installed. If you want to play safe before you re-install it from brew/macports you can follow [these steps](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2715055/how-to-uninstall-postgresql-on-my-mac-running-snow-leopard) they are for Snow Leopard and work the same way on Mountain Lion AFAIK – Máté Nov 09 '12 at 15:14