Able to create postgres database in command line but not in bash script

Question

I am trying to write a bash script that automates created and filling a database.

I found that I can use these commands to create a database in the command line:

sudo su postgres
psql -c 'CREATE DATABASE routing;'
exit

I see the database afterwards. However when I put these into a shell script and run it (with sudo), the database is not created. Any ideas?

Vao Tsun · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-24 13:32:39Z

3

after you sudo su you become another user. at this point script will stop executing, until you exit the user, then it will go on executing.

instead if you want to run something as postgres , try smth like this:

sudo su postgres <<EOF
psql -c 'CREATE DATABASE routing;'
EOF
exit

answered Aug 24, 2017 at 13:32

Vao Tsun

52.4k13 gold badges114 silver badges149 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

4 Comments

Ok, that works... What is it about the EOF statements that is making it work?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-of-file - a cosy way to specify command I want to run as postgres in multiline

So is the <<EOF bit telling it to just run the next bit of commands until it encounters EOF, at which point the script resumes?

yes, so if you want to run more as postgres, put it between <<EOF and EOF