The problem was mostly related to my system setup. However, it might be worth adding a little info to the README.Debian. The two key points I missed were 1) leave the hostname blank when making a connection to use sockets (for this package) 2) if not using sockets, you need a properly running ident service. (for postgresql package)
Because of that, I'm leaving this open. However, it's OK to close it if you don't want to do anything. My search of debian-user revealed that a number of people are confused about authentication with postgres, though mostly they hadn't made the first step of reading README.Debian. So it's unlikely further material there will help :(. I also sent this info to the upstream discussion list. Here's the fuller explanation I sent to debian-user: ------------------------------------------------------ I am trying to use a GUI to do some work on a local postgres database. I was using pgaccess a year ago, but recently found it couldn't connect because of an ident failure. I've tried a bunch of other tools (pgamdin3, knoda, mergeant, and gnome-db) with mostly the same problem. I have not messed with the default authorization and access settings for postgres. Since I can connect with psql, I developed a theory: the front ends only connect with tcp, not sockets (I have tried a blank hostname a few times). I needed to do all the following to make things work: * install a package providing identd (I used midentd) * Enable the service in /etc/inetd.conf In this case, I used auth stream tcp nowait identd /usr/sbin/midentd midentd The line in the file by default uses ident as the first field; I don't know if that matters. (I suspect it doesn't, because with both present I got an error about duplicate entries). The default specifies /usr/sbin/identd, but that wasn't present (should there be some /etc/alternatives going on so this works?). The default was wait. I got the above line by modifying one in the midentd docs. Those gave the user as nobody, but that did not work to authenticate. My default tcpwrapper (/etc/hosts.*) and firewalling allow local connections; they might also need to be tweaked in some cases. I can't tell for sure if midentd uses tcpwrappers. Though I seem to have got things working, any of the following forms of follow up would be helpful: 1) how to get a GUI client to use sockets (or the name of client that can use them) 2) recommended identd flavors and setup; or 3) a sensible, safe way to modify my postgres authentication (I've seen some suggestions about making it wide open, but I'd rather not. For starters, I don't even want all users on the local system to be able to mess with all the databases). My setup is basically a single user system, though I do network with another system (which mostly runs MS Windows, but does use my system for internet access with NAT). -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
