pgadmin4/docs/en_US/restore_dialog.rst

.. _restore_dialog:

***********************
`Restore Dialog`:index:
***********************

The *Restore* dialog provides an easy way to use a Custom, tar, or Directory
format backup taken with the pgAdmin *Backup* dialog to recreate a database or
database object.  The *Backup* dialog invokes options of the pg_dump client
utility; the *Restore* dialog invokes options of the pg_restore client utility.

You can use the *Query Tool* to play back the script created during a plain-text
backup made with the *Backup* dialog.  For more information about backing up or
restoring, please refer to the documentation for
`pg_dump <https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/app-pgdump.html>`_ or
`pg_restore <https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/app-pgrestore.html>`_.

.. image:: images/restore_general.png
    :alt: Restore dialog general tab
    :align: center

Use the fields on the *General* tab to specify general information about the
restore process:

* Use the drop-down listbox in the *Format* field to select the format of your
  backup file.

   * Select *Custom or tar* to restore from a custom archive file to create a
     copy of the backed-up object.
   * Select *Directory* to restore from a compressed directory-format archive.

* Enter the complete path to the backup file in the *Filename* field.
  Optionally, select the *Browser* icon (ellipsis) to the right to navigate
  into a directory and select the file that contains the archive.
* Use the *Number of Jobs* field to specify if pg_restore should use multiple
  (concurrent) jobs to process the restore.  Each job uses a separate connection
  to the server.
* Use the drop-down listbox next to *Rolename* to specify the role that will be
  used to authenticate with the server during the restore process.

Click the *Data/Objects* tab to continue. Use the fields on the *Data/Objects*
tab to specify options related to data or pgAdmin objects that correspond to
*pg_restore* options.

.. image:: images/restore_sections.png
    :alt: Restore dialog options section
    :align: center

* Use the switches in the **Sections** box to specify the content that will be
  restored:

   * Move the switch next to *Pre-data* towards right position to restore all
     data definition items not included in the data or post-data item lists.
   * Move the switch next to *Data* towards right position to restore actual
     table data, large-object contents, and sequence values.
   * Move the switch next to *Post-data* towards right position position to restore
     definitions of indexes, triggers, rules, and constraints (other than
     validated check constraints).

.. image:: images/restore_objects.png
    :alt: Restore dialog sections section
    :align: center

* Use the switches in the **Type of objects** box to specify the objects that
  will be restored:

   * Move the switch next to *Only data* towards right position to limit the
     restoration to data.
   * Move the switch next to *Only schema* to limit the restoration to
     schema-level database objects.

.. image:: images/restore_do_not_save.png
    :alt: Restore dialog do not save section
    :align: center

* Use the switches in the **Do not save** box to specify which objects will not
  be restored:

   * Move the switch next to *Owner* towards right position to exclude commands
     that set object ownership.
   * Move the switch next to *Privilege* towards right position to exclude
     commands that create access privileges.
   * Move the switch next to *Tablespace* towards right position to exclude
     tablespaces.
   * Move the switch next to *Comments* towards right position to exclude
     commands that set the comments. **Note:** This option is visible only for
     database server greater than or equal to 11.

Click the *Options* tab to continue. Use these additional fields to specify
options like cleaning before restore, verbose message or using set session
authorization that correspond to *pg_restore* options.

.. image:: images/restore_queries.png
    :alt: Restore dialog queries section
    :align: center

* Use the switches in the **Queries** box to specify the type of statements that
  should be included in the restore:

   * Move the switch next to *Include CREATE DATABASE statement* towards right position
     to include a command that creates a new database before performing the restore.
   * Move the switch next to *Clean before restore* towards right position to
     drop each existing database object (and data) before restoring.
   * Move the switch next to *Single transaction* towards right position to
     execute the restore as a single transaction (that is, wrap the emitted
     commands in *BEGIN/COMMIT*). This ensures that either all the commands
     complete successfully, or no changes are applied. This option implies
     *--exit-on-error*.

.. image:: images/restore_disable.png
    :alt: Restore dialog disable section
    :align: center

* Use the switches in the **Disable** box to specify the type of statements that
  should be excluded from the restore:

   * Move the switch next to *Trigger* (active when creating a data-only
     restore) towards right position to include commands that will disable
     triggers on the target table while the data is being loaded.
   * Move the switch next to *No data for Failed Tables* towards right position
     to ignore data that fails a trigger.

.. image:: images/restore_miscellaneous.png
    :alt: Restore dialog miscellaneous section
    :align: center

* Use the switches in the **Miscellaneous/Behavior** box to specify
  miscellaneous restore options:

   * Move the switch next to *Verbose messages* towards left to instruct
     *pg_restore* to exclude verbose messages.
   * Move the switch next to *Use SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION* towards right position
     to include a statement that will use a SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION
     command to determine object ownership (instead of an ALTER OWNER command).

   * Move the switch next to *Exit on error* towards right position to instruct
     *pg_restore* to exit restore if there is an error in sending SQL commands.
     The default is to continue and to display a count of errors at the end of
     the restore.

When you’ve specified the details that will be incorporated into the pg_restore
command, click the *Restore* button to start the process, or click the *Cancel*
button to exit without saving your work. A popup will confirm if the restore is
successful.

.. image:: images/restore_messages.png
    :alt: Restore dialog notifications
    :align: center

Use the **Stop Process** button to stop the Restore process.

Click *Click here for details* on the popup to launch the *Process Watcher*. The
*Process Watcher* logs all the activity associated with the restore, and
provides additional information for troubleshooting should the restore command
encounter problems.

.. image:: images/restore_process_watcher.png
    :alt: Restore dialog process watcher
    :align: center