Integrate PostgreSQL Data in Pentaho Data Integration

The CData JDBC Driver for PostgreSQL enables access to live data from data pipelines. Pentaho Data Integration is an Extraction, Transformation, and Loading (ETL) engine that data, cleanses the data, and stores data using a uniform format that is accessible.This article shows how to connect to PostgreSQL data as a JDBC data source and build jobs and transformations based on PostgreSQL data in Pentaho Data Integration.

Configure to PostgreSQL Connectivity

To connect to PostgreSQL, set the Server, Port (the default port is 5432), and Database connection properties and set the User and Password you wish to use to authenticate to the server. If the Database property is not specified, the data provider connects to the user's default database.

Built-in Connection String Designer

For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the PostgreSQL JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

When you configure the JDBC URL, you may also want to set the Max Rows connection property. This will limit the number of rows returned, which is especially helpful for improving performance when designing reports and visualizations.

Below is a typical JDBC URL:

Save your connection string for use in Pentaho Data Integration.

Connect to PostgreSQL from Pentaho DI

Open Pentaho Data Integration and select "Database Connection" to configure a connection to the CData JDBC Driver for PostgreSQL

1. Click "General"
2. Set Connection name (e.g. PostgreSQL Connection)
3. Set Connection type to "Generic database"
4. Set Access to "Native (JDBC)"
5. Set Custom connection URL to your PostgreSQL connection string (e.g.
   jdbc:postgresql:User=postgres;Password=admin;Database=postgres;Server=127.0.0.1;Port=5432;
6. Set Custom driver class name to "cdata.jdbc.postgresql.PostgreSQLDriver"
7. Test the connection and click "OK" to save.

Create a Data Pipeline for PostgreSQL

Once the connection to PostgreSQL is configured using the CData JDBC Driver, you are ready to create a new transformation or job.

1. Click "File" >> "New" >> "Transformation/job"
2. Drag a "Table input" object into the workflow panel and select your PostgreSQL connection.
3. Click "Get SQL select statement" and use the Database Explorer to view the available tables and views.
4. Select a table and optionally preview the data for verification.

At this point, you can continue your transformation or jb by selecting a suitable destination and adding any transformations to modify, filter, or otherwise alter the data during replication.

Free Trial & More Information

Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData JDBC Driver for PostgreSQL and start working with your live PostgreSQL data in Pentaho Data Integration today.