@ -14,11 +14,13 @@
tables. You can drop and recreate the tables, add columns, insert
tables. You can drop and recreate the tables, add columns, insert
and update values, and severely mess up your system that way.
and update values, and severely mess up your system that way.
Normally, one should not change the system catalogs by hand, there
Normally, one should not change the system catalogs by hand, there
are always SQL commands to do that. (For example, <command>CREATE
are normally SQL commands to do that. (For example, <command>CREATE
DATABASE</command> inserts a row into the
DATABASE</command> inserts a row into the
<structname>pg_database</structname> catalog — and actually
<structname>pg_database</structname> catalog — and actually
creates the database on disk.) There are some exceptions for
creates the database on disk.) There are some exceptions for
particularly esoteric operations, such as adding index access methods.
particularly esoteric operations, but many of those have been made
available as SQL commands over time, and so the need for direct manipulation
of the system catalogs is ever decreasing.
</para>
</para>
<sect1 id="catalogs-overview">
<sect1 id="catalogs-overview">