How can I export the schema of a database in PostgreSQL?

My computer broke down but fortunately I backed up the folder C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL.

Now I'm working in a new computer and I would like to import the previous Postgres databases that are stored in the external disk.

I would like to export the schema of a specific database that is located in the backup folder.

The file PostgreSQL\8.3\data\global\pg_database contains information about databases and their OIDs; for example:

"db1" 20012
"db2" 23456

I would like to export the schema of "db1".

There is a folder named "20012" in folder "PostgreSQL\8.3\data\base\20012" that contains a lot of files [500 files].

Is there any way to export the schema of that database?

Note that all of the Postgresql database files are located in an external hard disk and I would like to export the schema of that database in an SQL file, take that file, run it and create the same exact database locally.

You should take a look at pg_dump:

pg_dump -s databasename

Will dump only the schema to stdout as .sql.

For windows, you'll probably want to call pg_dump.exe. I don't have access to a Windows machine but I'm pretty sure from memory that's the command. See if the help works for you too.

In Linux you can do like this

pg_dump -U postgres -s postgres > exportFile.dmp

Maybe it can work in Windows too, if not try the same with pg_dump.exe

pg_dump.exe -U postgres -s postgres > exportFile.dmp

I am running Postgres 9.6 where I had to export a particular schema along with data.

I used the following command:

pg_dump.exe -U username -d databasename -n schemaname > C:\mylocation\mydumpfilename.dmp

If you want only the schema without data, use the switch s instead of n

Below is the pg_dump switch list:

C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\9.6\bin>pg_dump --help
pg_dump dumps a database as a text file or to other formats.

Usage:
  pg_dump [OPTION]... [DBNAME]

General options:
  -f, --file=FILENAME          output file or directory name
  -F, --format=c|d|t|p         output file format (custom, directory, tar,
                               plain text (default))
  -j, --jobs=NUM               use this many parallel jobs to dump
  -v, --verbose                verbose mode
  -V, --version                output version information, then exit
  -Z, --compress=0-9           compression level for compressed formats
  --lock-wait-timeout=TIMEOUT  fail after waiting TIMEOUT for a table lock
  -?, --help                   show this help, then exit

Options controlling the output content:
  -a, --data-only              dump only the data, not the schema
  -b, --blobs                  include large objects in dump
  -c, --clean                  clean (drop) database objects before recreating
  -C, --create                 include commands to create database in dump
  -E, --encoding=ENCODING      dump the data in encoding ENCODING
  -n, --schema=SCHEMA          dump the named schema(s) only
  -N, --exclude-schema=SCHEMA  do NOT dump the named schema(s)
  -o, --oids                   include OIDs in dump
  -O, --no-owner               skip restoration of object ownership in
                               plain-text format
  -s, --schema-only            dump only the schema, no data
  -S, --superuser=NAME         superuser user name to use in plain-text format
  -t, --table=TABLE            dump the named table(s) only
  -T, --exclude-table=TABLE    do NOT dump the named table(s)
  -x, --no-privileges          do not dump privileges (grant/revoke)
  --binary-upgrade             for use by upgrade utilities only
  --column-inserts             dump data as INSERT commands with column names
  --disable-dollar-quoting     disable dollar quoting, use SQL standard quoting
  --disable-triggers           disable triggers during data-only restore
  --enable-row-security        enable row security (dump only content user has
                               access to)
  --exclude-table-data=TABLE   do NOT dump data for the named table(s)
  --if-exists                  use IF EXISTS when dropping objects
  --inserts                    dump data as INSERT commands, rather than COPY
  --no-security-labels         do not dump security label assignments
  --no-synchronized-snapshots  do not use synchronized snapshots in parallel jobs
  --no-tablespaces             do not dump tablespace assignments
  --no-unlogged-table-data     do not dump unlogged table data
  --quote-all-identifiers      quote all identifiers, even if not key words
  --section=SECTION            dump named section (pre-data, data, or post-data)
  --serializable-deferrable    wait until the dump can run without anomalies
  --snapshot=SNAPSHOT          use given snapshot for the dump
  --strict-names               require table and/or schema include patterns to
                               match at least one entity each
  --use-set-session-authorization
                               use SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION commands instead of
                               ALTER OWNER commands to set ownership

Connection options:
  -d, --dbname=DBNAME      database to dump
  -h, --host=HOSTNAME      database server host or socket directory
  -p, --port=PORT          database server port number
  -U, --username=NAME      connect as specified database user
  -w, --no-password        never prompt for password
  -W, --password           force password prompt (should happen automatically)
  --role=ROLENAME          do SET ROLE before dump

If no database name is supplied, then the PGDATABASE environment
variable value is used.

Report bugs to <[email protected]>.