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From: Michael Glaesemann <grzm@seespotcode.net>
Subject: Re: SUPERUSER vs CREATEUSER causes foul 'code smell'
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2007 10:35:13 -0500
To: Joshua_Kramer <josh@globalherald.net>


On Aug 16, 2007, at 10:36 , Joshua_Kramer wrote:

> In the pg_users view - is there a way to differentiate between a  
> role with SUPERUSER priveleges, and a user who merely has the  
> CREATEUSER flag?
>
> If I want to create a role who can create other roles, but not have  
> other SUPERUSER priveleges - how can I do that?

I think you may be confusing CREATEROLE and CREATEUSER. AIUI,  
CREATEUSER is a holdover from the pre-role PostgreSQL days, when  
CREATEUSER implied SUPERUSER. (I may very well be wrong with the  
explanation, but the effects look the same.) CREATEROLE privilege  
does not imply SUPERUSER however.

test=# create role user_creator with createuser;
CREATE ROLE
test=# create role role_creator with createrole;
CREATE ROLE

test=# select rolname, rolsuper, rolcreaterole from pg_roles;
            rolname           | rolsuper | rolcreaterole
-----------------------------+----------+---------------
postgres                    | t        | t
...
user_creator                | t        | f
role_creator                | f        | t

(By the way, I don't see a pg_users view in v8.2.4. There's a pg_user  
view and a pg_roles view however. What version are you using?)

Michael Glaesemann
grzm seespotcode net