Connecting to PostgreSQL
Before Connection: What information is needed?

Navicat needs the following information for connecting to a PostgreSQL server:
1. The host name or IP address of the PostgreSQL server
2. The port on which PostgreSQL runs on the host server. The default port is 5432
3. A user name and password for authenticating on the PostgreSQL server. Keep in mind that they are not necessarily the same as the user name and password that you use to log onto your PC or network.

NOTE: Navicat only support PostgreSQL 8.0 or above and would be able to access your remote PostgreSQL server whether it is running on Linux, Unix, Mac, Windows platform.

Setting up Connections

1. In Navicat pull-down menu, please choose [Connection] and then choose [New Connection]. The Connection Properties Window will be shown.
2. Enter the Connection Name (friendly name), Host Name (your PostgreSQL server's hostname or IP address), Port (of the PostgreSQL server), User Name (your PostgreSQL user name) and Password (your PostgreSQL password) for the connection.
3. To have your queries and beckups saved to a specific location, set the Settings Save Path to a directory of your choice. Select a different directory for each server connection in order to keep the files well organised. After you created a new connection, Navicat will create a subfolder under the Setting Save Path location on your computer. If you created a new backup, it will be stored in the subfolders. The backup will include the table structure and the data. All of your queries and backup were stored in the Setting Save Path location.
4. Check Auto Connect to automatically connect to the PostgreSQL server at start-up.

You can test your connection settings by clicking on the Test Connection button.

What is Advanced Connection Settings?

The Advanced Connection Settings allows you to:

1. Specify whether you want to see all databases on a server or only a selection of databases on the server
2. Manually add databases to a server connection for servers that does not return a list of database names
   
   

How to show only selected databases on a server?

1. Check the Use Advanced Connections checkbox
2. Use the Databases check-listbox to check databases that you want to show and uncheck the databases that you don't want to show in the Server Navigator. Use the Select - and Deselect All button to quickly check/uncheck all databases shown in the Databases check-listbox
   
   

How to manually add databases to a server connection?

Click "Add DB to List" button, and input the name of Database that you want to add. Press OK to confirm.

Use SSH Tunnel

Does your remote server supports SSH connection? If yes, you can use Navicat to connect with your remote PostgreSQL server via a SSH tunnel.

It's not necessary to modify your existing PostgreSQL Privileges setting.

For SSH Tunnel setup details, please visit [SSH Tunnel Configuration]

Making the Connection
In the Navicat Main Window , double click on the server you want to connect to in the Server Navigator. If the connection to the server was successful, the icon next to the server will change from (an inactive connection) to (an active connection) and the tree view will expand to show the databases on the server according to how you have set up your advanced connection settings.

NOTE: Navicat would be able to access your remote PostgreSQL server whether it is running on Linux, Unix, Mac, Windows platform. If you couldn't connect your remote PostgreSQL server via Internet, please kindly visit our knowledgebase for detailed explanation.

1. Click Connections button from the main screen.
2. Enter the name you wish to associate the connection with in Connection Name (this name will be used to indicate the connection in the Server Navigator).
3. Enter either the hostname or IP address of you PostgreSQL server in Host name.
4. Enter the port number into Port (5432 is the default port number on which PostgreSQL runs).
5. Provide the user name and password for the connection in User name and Password.
6. Click the Save button to save your changes.
7. The connection you have just set up should be displayed in the Server Navigator , Double click on the connection item to open your connection to the server. Remember that you can set up and open connections to multiple servers in Navicat.