Execute pg_dump from within web app

[Pete Dawn]

guys,

i am trying to implement a database backup functionality from within my web app. now in order to run pg_dump I am using the Runtime functions.

now so far I have got this but its not working,
Process p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec( new String[] {
"cmd.exe",
"/E:1900",
"/C",
"C:/Program Files/PostgreSQL/8.1/bin/pg_dump.exe -i -h localhost -p 5432 -U postgres -F t -b -v -f C:/test.backup TESTDB"});

can somebody help me out. thanks.

[Joanne Neal]

Can you expand a little on 'its not working' ?

You might want to look at the Process.getInputStream() and Process.getErrorStream() methods. These will let you see any output from your program.

[Pete Dawn]

if i execute this code, it executes without any error but nothing happens. i think that the code is running into an error, which i am trying to catch using getErrorStream().

But perhaps it would be quicker if somebody could tell me if my syntax is correct in the first place, I have a feeling that my syntax is wrong.

Please help. Thanks.

[Joanne Neal]

If you are not even sure the command works you should try it in a command prompt first. Once you have it working, then try calling it from a Java program.

[Pete Dawn]

the command works fine when i execute it from the command prompt and it performs the backup. but i am not sure of whats the best way of running the same command from within my java code. so the command is correct, but the syntax from within java code is incorrect. any help guys.

[Joanne Neal]

Well if you only want help from guys, then I guess I'd best drop out of the conversation

Seriously though, the first thing I'd try is to change all the '/' characters in your path names to '\'. Don't forget to escape them.
i.e.

"C:\\Program Files\\PostgreSQL\\8.1\\bin\\pg_dump.exe -i -h localhost -p 5432 -U postgres -F t -b -v -f C:\\test.backup TESTDB"