Meeting 20231121

[zipperer]

Andrew and Michael meet to:

• install postgres on example machine
• configure postgres cluster to permit login without password
• use psql to execute commands in postgres cluster
  • CREATE DATABASE
  • CREATE TABLE
  • INSERT INTO
  • ALTER TABLE my_table ADD COLUMN my_column
• export data from existing table in Lotus Approach
  • data exported is 2 rows from a table along with header row that includes column names and types as given by .dbf file exported from Lotus Approach
• copy data exported from Lotus Approach into postgres table
  • \copy my_table FROM 'example.csv' WITH (FORMAT CSV, DELIMITER ',', HEADER)
• discuss plans
• schedule next meeting (20231128)

[zipperer]

For this meeting Andrew made these files:

• postgres_plan_revised.txt
  • to document milestones for this meeting
• postgres_script.txt
  • to provide commands to execute on the path to achieving milestones for this meeting

To make postgres_script.txt, Andrew:

• used an ubuntu docker image and
• set out to achieve the milestones in postgres_plan_revised.txt
• recorded the sequences of actions that achieved the milestones

[zipperer]

During this meeting, we noticed that some of the columns in the mailing_list table are not varchar. So, we will:

• determine the type for each column
• edit the CREATE TABLE statement from

  CREATE TABLE mailing_list (
  column1 VARCHAR,
  ...
  columnN VARCHAR
  );

  to a statement with improved types.

To go from all varchar to improved types may take a few steps and involve encountering errors when values do not match the type we propose for a column.

[zipperer]

During this meeting, we noticed that the listenerid column in the mailing_list table is a custom identifier. The custom identifier uses first initial, last initial, abbreviation for state / geography, and possibly other information. We will add another column to use as an identifier. For now call the new column listenerid_new. For column listenerid we will use a unique integer that increments automatically -- i.e. for postgres a SERIAL. I will make a plan for this in #6 .

Tables other than mailing_list use listenerid values to refer to rows in mailing_list. After we have column listenerid_new, we will use values from listenerid_new to refer to rows in mailing_list. I will make a plan for this in #7.