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<refentry id="APP-PGRESTORE">
 <refmeta>
  <refentrytitle>pg_restore</refentrytitle>
  <manvolnum>1</manvolnum>
  <refmiscinfo>Application</refmiscinfo>
 </refmeta>

 <refnamediv>
  <refname>pg_restore</refname>

  <refpurpose>
   restore a <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> database from an archive file created by pg_dump
  </refpurpose>
 </refnamediv>

 <refsynopsisdiv>
  <cmdsynopsis>
   <command>pg_restore</command>
   <arg rep="repeat"><replaceable>option</replaceable></arg>
   <arg><replaceable>filename</replaceable></arg>
  </cmdsynopsis>
 </refsynopsisdiv>


 <refsect1 id="app-pgrestore-description">
  <title>Description</title>

  <para>
   <application>pg_restore</application> is a utility for restoring a
   <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> database from an archive
   created by <xref linkend="app-pgdump"> in one of the non-plain-text
   formats.  It will issue the commands necessary to reconstruct the
   database to the state it was in at the time it was saved.  The
   archive files also allow <application>pg_restore</application> to
   be selective about what is restored, or even to reorder the items
   prior to being restored. The archive files are designed to be
   portable across architectures.
  </para>

  <para>
   <application>pg_restore</application> can operate in two modes: If
   a database name is specified, the archive is restored directly into
   the database.  Large objects can only be restored by using a direct
   database connection.  Otherwise, a script containing the SQL
   commands necessary to rebuild the database is created (and written
   to a file or standard output), similar to the ones created by the
   <application>pg_dump</application> plain text format.  Some of the
   options controlling the script output are therefore analogous to
   <application>pg_dump</application> options.
  </para>

  <para>
   Obviously, <application>pg_restore</application> cannot restore information
   that is not present in the archive file.  For instance, if the
   archive was made using the <quote>dump data as
   <command>INSERT</command> commands</quote> option,
   <application>pg_restore</application> will not be able to load the data
   using <command>COPY</command> statements.
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1 id="app-pgrestore-options">
  <title>Options</title>

   <para>
    <application>pg_restore</application> accepts the following command
    line arguments.

    <variablelist>
     <varlistentry>
      <term><replaceable class="parameter">filename</replaceable></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
       Specifies the location of the archive file to be restored.
       If not specified, the standard input is used.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-a</option></term>
      <term><option>--data-only</option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
	Restore only the data, not the schema (data definitions).
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-c</option></term>
      <term><option>--clean</option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
	Clean (drop) database objects before recreating them.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-C</option></term>
      <term><option>--create</option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        Create the database before restoring into it.  (When this
        option is used, the database named with <option>-d</option> is
        used only to issue the initial <literal>CREATE DATABASE</>
        command.  All data is restored into the database name that
        appears in the archive.)
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-d <replaceable class="parameter">dbname</replaceable></option></term>
      <term><option>--dbname=<replaceable class="parameter">dbname</replaceable></option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        Connect to database <replaceable
        class="parameter">dbname</replaceable> and restore directly
        into the database.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-f <replaceable>filename</replaceable></option></term>
      <term><option>--file=<replaceable>filename</replaceable></option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        Specify output file for generated script, or for the listing
        when used with <option>-l</option>. Default is the standard
        output.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-F <replaceable class="parameter">format</replaceable></option></term>
      <term><option>--format=<replaceable class="parameter">format</replaceable></option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
	Specify format of the archive.  It is not necessary to specify
	the format, since <application>pg_restore</application> will
	determine the format automatically. If specified, it can be
	one of the following:

       <variablelist>
        <varlistentry>
         <term><literal>t</></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.
          </para>
         </listitem>
        </varlistentry>

        <varlistentry>
         <term><literal>c</></term>
         <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.
          </para>
         </listitem>
        </varlistentry>
       </variablelist>
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-i</option></term>
      <term><option>--ignore-version</option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
	Ignore database version checks.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-I <replaceable class="parameter">index</replaceable></option></term>
      <term><option>--index=<replaceable class="parameter">index</replaceable></option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
	Restore definition of named index only.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-l</option></term>
      <term><option>--list</option></term>
      <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.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-L <replaceable class="parameter">list-file</replaceable></option></term>
      <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 may also
        be commented out by placing a <literal>;</literal> at the
        start of the line.  (See below for examples.)
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-N</option></term>
      <term><option>--orig-order</option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        Restore items in the original dump order. By default
        <application>pg_dump</application> will dump items in an order
        convenient to <application>pg_dump</application>, then save the
        archive in a modified OID order. This option overrides the OID
        ordering.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-o</option></term>
      <term><option>--oid-order</option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        Restore items in the OID order. By default
        <application>pg_dump</application> will dump items in an order
        convenient to <application>pg_dump</application>, then save the
        archive in a modified OID order. This option enforces strict
        OID ordering.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-O</option></term>
      <term><option>--no-owner</option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        Prevent any attempt to restore original object
        ownership. Objects will be owned by the user name used to
        attach to the database. See also under <option>-R</option> and
        <option>-X use-set-session-authorization</option>.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-P <replaceable class="parameter">function-name(argtype [, ...])</replaceable></option></term>
      <term><option>--function=<replaceable class="parameter">function-name(argtype [, ...])</replaceable></option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        Restore the named function only.  Be careful to spell the function
	name and arguments exactly as they appear in the dump file's table
	of contents.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-r</option></term>
      <term><option>--rearrange</option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        Restore items in modified OID order. By default
        <application>pg_dump</application> will dump items in an order
        convenient to <application>pg_dump</application>, then save the
        archive in a modified OID order. Most objects will be restored
        in OID order, but some things (e.g., rules and indexes) will
        be restored at the end of the process irrespective of their
        OIDs. This option is the default.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-R</option></term>
      <term><option>--no-reconnect</option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        While restoring an archive, <application>pg_restore</application>
        typically has to reconnect to the database several times with
        different user names to set the correct ownership of the
        created objects.  If this is undesirable (e.g., because manual
        interaction (passwords) would be necessary for each
        reconnection), this option prevents
        <application>pg_restore</application> from issuing any reconnection
        requests.  (A connection request while in plain text mode, not
        connected to a database, is made by putting out a <xref
        linkend="app-psql"> <command>\connect</command> command.)
        However, this option is a rather blunt instrument because it
        makes <application>pg_restore</application> lose all object ownership
        information, <emphasis>unless</emphasis> you use the
        <option>-X use-set-session-authorization</option> option.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-s</option></term>
      <term><option>--schema-only</option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        Restore only the schema (data definitions), not the data.
        Sequence values will be reset.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-S <replaceable class="parameter">username</replaceable></option></term>
      <term><option>--superuser=<replaceable class="parameter">username</replaceable></option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        Specify the superuser user name to use when disabling triggers.
	This is only relevant if <option>--disable-triggers</> is used.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-t <replaceable class="parameter">table</replaceable></option></term>
      <term><option>--table=<replaceable class="parameter">table</replaceable></option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        Restore definition and/or data of named table only.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-T <replaceable class="parameter">trigger</replaceable></option></term>
      <term><option>--trigger=<replaceable class="parameter">trigger</replaceable></option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        Restore named trigger only.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-v</option></term>
      <term><option>--verbose</option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
	Specifies verbose mode.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-x</option></term>
      <term><option>--no-privileges</option></term>
      <term><option>--no-acl</option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
	Prevent restoration of access privileges (grant/revoke commands).
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-X use-set-session-authorization</option></term>
      <term><option>--use-set-session-authorization</option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        Normally, if restoring an archive requires altering the
        current database user (e.g., to set correct object
        ownerships), a new connection to the database must be opened,
        which might require manual interaction (e.g., passwords).  If
        you use the <option>-X use-set-session-authorization</option> option,
        then <application>pg_restore</application> will instead use the <xref
        linkend="sql-set-session-authorization" endterm="sql-set-session-authorization-title"> command.  This has
        the same effect, but it requires that the user restoring the
        archive is a database superuser.  This option effectively
        overrides the <option>-R</option> option.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-X disable-triggers</></term>
      <term><option>--disable-triggers</></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        This option is only relevant when performing a data-only restore.
	It instructs <application>pg_restore</application> to execute commands
	to temporarily disable triggers on the target tables while
	the data is reloaded.  Use this if you have referential
	integrity checks or other triggers on the tables that you
	do not want to invoke during data reload.
       </para>

       <para>
        Presently, the commands emitted for
	<option>--disable-triggers</> must be done as superuser.  So, you
	should also specify a superuser name with <option>-S</>, or
	preferably specify <option>--use-set-session-authorization</> and
	run <application>pg_restore</application> as a
	<productname>PostgreSQL</> superuser.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

    </variablelist>
   </para>

   <para>
    <application>pg_restore</application> also accepts
    the following command line arguments for connection parameters:

    <variablelist>
     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-h <replaceable class="parameter">host</replaceable></option></term>
      <term><option>--host=<replaceable class="parameter">host</replaceable></option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
	Specifies the host name of the machine on which the server is
	running.  If the value begins with a slash, it is used as the
	directory for the Unix domain socket. The default is taken
	from the <envar>PGHOST</envar> environment variable, if set,
	else a Unix domain socket connection is attempted.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-p <replaceable class="parameter">port</replaceable></option></term>
      <term><option>--port=<replaceable class="parameter">port</replaceable></option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
	Specifies the TCP port or local Unix domain socket file
	extension on which the server is listening for connections.
	Defaults to the <envar>PGPORT</envar> environment variable, if
	set, or a compiled-in default.
        </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-U <replaceable>username</replaceable></option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        Connect as the given user
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>

     <varlistentry>
      <term><option>-W</option></term>
      <listitem>
       <para>
        Force a password prompt.  This should happen automatically if
        the server requires password authentication.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>
    </variablelist>
   </para>
 </refsect1>


 <refsect1>
  <title>Environment</title>

  <variablelist>
   <varlistentry>
    <term><envar>PGHOST</envar></term>
    <term><envar>PGPORT</envar></term>
    <term><envar>PGUSER</envar></term>

    <listitem>
     <para>
      Default connection parameters
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>
  </variablelist>
 </refsect1>


 <refsect1 id="app-pgrestore-diagnostics">
  <title>Diagnostics</title>

  <para>
   When a direct database connection is specified using the
   <option>-d</option> option, <application>pg_restore</application>
   internally executes <acronym>SQL</acronym> statements. If you have
   problems running <application>pg_restore</application>, make sure
   you are able to select information from the database using, for
   example, <application>psql</application>.
  </para>
 </refsect1>


 <refsect1 id="app-pgrestore-notes">
  <title>Notes</title>

  <para>
   If your installation has any local additions to the
   <literal>template1</> database, be careful to load the output of
   <application>pg_restore</application> into a truly empty database;
   otherwise you are likely to get errors due to duplicate definitions
   of the added objects.  To make an empty database without any local
   additions, copy from <literal>template0</> not <literal>template1</>, for example:
<programlisting>
CREATE DATABASE foo WITH TEMPLATE template0;
</programlisting>
  </para>

  <para>
   The limitations of <application>pg_restore</application> are detailed below.

   <itemizedlist>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      When restoring data to a pre-existing table and the option
      <option>--disable-triggers</> is used,
      <application>pg_restore</application> emits commands
      to disable triggers on user tables before inserting the data then emits commands to
      re-enable them after the data has been inserted.  If the restore is stopped in the
      middle, the system catalogs may be left in the wrong state.
     </para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
     <para>
      <application>pg_restore</application> will not restore large objects for a single table. If
      an archive contains large objects, then all large objects will be restored.
     </para>
    </listitem>

   </itemizedlist>
  </para>

  <para>
   See also the <xref linkend="app-pgdump"> documentation for details on
   limitations of <application>pg_dump</application>.
  </para>

  <para>
   Once restored, it is wise to run <command>ANALYZE</> on each
   restored table so the optimizer has useful statistics.
  </para>

 </refsect1>


 <refsect1 id="app-pgrestore-examples">
  <title>Examples</title>

  <para>
   To dump a database called <literal>mydb</> that contains
   large objects to a <filename>tar</filename> file:

<screen>
<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>pg_dump -Ft -b mydb &gt; db.tar</userinput>
</screen>
  </para>

  <para>
   To reload this database (with large objects) to an
   existing database called <literal>newdb</>:

<screen>
<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>pg_restore -d newdb db.tar</userinput>
</screen>
  </para>

  <para>
   To reorder database items, it is first necessary to dump the table of
   contents of the archive:
<screen>
<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>pg_restore -l archive.file &gt; archive.list</userinput>
</screen>
   The listing file consists of a header and one line for each item, e.g.,
<programlisting>
;
; Archive created at Fri Jul 28 22:28:36 2000
;     dbname: birds
;     TOC Entries: 74
;     Compression: 0
;     Dump Version: 1.4-0
;     Format: CUSTOM
;
;
; Selected TOC Entries:
;
2; 145344 TABLE species postgres
3; 145344 ACL species
4; 145359 TABLE nt_header postgres
5; 145359 ACL nt_header
6; 145402 TABLE species_records postgres
7; 145402 ACL species_records
8; 145416 TABLE ss_old postgres
9; 145416 ACL ss_old
10; 145433 TABLE map_resolutions postgres
11; 145433 ACL map_resolutions
12; 145443 TABLE hs_old postgres
13; 145443 ACL hs_old
</programlisting>
   Semicolons start a comment, and the numbers at the start of lines refer to the
   internal archive ID assigned to each item.
  </para>

  <para>
   Lines in the file can be commented out, deleted, and reordered. For example,
<programlisting>
10; 145433 TABLE map_resolutions postgres
;2; 145344 TABLE species postgres
;4; 145359 TABLE nt_header postgres
6; 145402 TABLE species_records postgres
;8; 145416 TABLE ss_old postgres
</programlisting>
   could be used as input to <application>pg_restore</application> and would only restore
   items 10 and 6, in that order:
<screen>
<prompt>$</prompt> <userinput>pg_restore -L archive.list archive.file</userinput>
</screen>
  </para>

 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>History</title>

  <para>
   The <application>pg_restore</application> utility first appeared in
   PostgreSQL 7.1.
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>See Also</title>

  <simplelist type="inline">
   <member><xref linkend="app-pgdump"></member>
   <member><xref linkend="app-pg-dumpall"></member>
   <member><xref linkend="app-psql"></member>
  </simplelist>
 </refsect1>
</refentry>

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