
### Background

Its been my experience that getting Ruby and by extension Rails setup on a Windows machine can be difficult and headache inducing. It is also my experience that upon getting it all setup it runs just a bit slower than on Linux or OSX.

Because of the challenges surrounding Ruby on Windows the best solution often involves either [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/compose/rails/) or Virtual Machines. Although there is nothing wrong with those solutions another one has arrived; [Ubuntu on Windows 10](https://blogs.windows.com/buildingapps/2016/03/30/run-bash-on-ubuntu-on-windows/#psSTUpZWO53T1Ly4.97).

Put simply Microsoft has developed "Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)" which Ubuntu is run on. It allows for files on a Windows machine to be interacted with using Linux command-line tools as well as providing a genuine Ubuntu Linux environment within Windows.

Ruby on Rails can now be installed and ran within a Ubuntu environment while accessing application code located on the Windows File System. This means we can use windows applications like Visual Studio Code to modify the application code but have it be served through the Ubuntu environment.

### Enabling Ubuntu on Windows 10

You must be running 64bit Windows 10 with the Anniversary Update or later. And follow the [MSDN installation instructions](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/commandline/wsl/install_guide)

### Installing Ruby on Rails

After the restart you should be able to press the start menu type in "ubuntu" and see the following new program. Clicking on it opens up a bash shell.

![Ubuntu on Windows](/windowsrails/ubuntuapp.webp)

It is within Bash where we will be installing Ruby on Rails. Because this isn't a post about how to install Ruby on Rails on Ubuntu I will link to a [great guide on how to do just that](https://gorails.com/setup/ubuntu/14.04). Since we are now in a Ubuntu Bash Shell we can treat it as such and follow any Ubuntu resources.

### Conceptual Overview

Now that we have enabled Ubuntu on Windows and installing Ruby on Rails in that environment we are ready to generate a new project.

It's now when I would like to point out that [using Windows apps and tools to change Linux files is a bad idea and can lead to data loss](https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/commandline/2016/11/17/do-not-change-linux-files-using-windows-apps-and-tools). Instead we will be using Linux to modify Windows files which is completely fine and [within the intended use of WSL](https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/commandline/2016/11/17/do-not-change-linux-files-using-windows-apps-and-tools/#comment-25677).

Within our Bash shell the Windows File System can be found at `/mnt/`. Below is a comparison of `/mnt/c` and the C drive contents navigated to from the file explorer. Notice that they are identical; we are now navigating into the Windows File System from Linux.

![mnt/c and C drive compare](/windowsrails/mntcompare.webp)

So long as we generate the Rails project within the Windows File System (`/mnt`) we are inline with intended use and at no risk of data loss. Not to mention we can then modify those files as we would for any other Windows files.

### Generating a New Rails App

I have found that the best thing to do first is create a [symlink](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolic_link) to our Windows development folder. For this post I have created the following directory within windows `E:\documents\ruby_projects` which from within the Bash shell is `/mnt/e/documents/ruby_projects`.

![creating a symlink](/windowsrails/symlink.webp)

`$ ln -s TARGET LINK_NAME`

1. change directories into `~/ruby_projects` and see files that are actually located at `/mnt/e/documents/ruby_projects`
2. `$ rails new blog` to generate a new Rails app named "blog"
3. CD into the new blog directory and do `$ rails server` which will start a server listening on port 3000
4. Navigate to `localhost:3000` within a Windows web browser.

![rails setup success image](/windowsrails/rails_setup_success.webp)

Success! Note how that message is saying Ruby is running within Linux.

Now you can open up your favorite text editor/IDE in Windows and edit the files at `E:\documents\ruby_projects` just like normal. The changes will be seen by the Rails server running on Ubuntu and reflected on localhost.


<h3 id="background">Background</h3>
Its been my experience that getting Ruby and by extension Rails setup on a Windows machine can be difficult and headache inducing. It is also my experience that upon getting it all setup it runs just a bit slower than on Linux or OSX.
Because of the challenges surrounding Ruby on Windows the best solution often involves either <a href="https://docs.docker.com/compose/rails/">Docker</a> or Virtual Machines. Although there is nothing wrong with those solutions another one has arrived; <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/buildingapps/2016/03/30/run-bash-on-ubuntu-on-windows/#psSTUpZWO53T1Ly4.97">Ubuntu on Windows 10</a>.
Put simply Microsoft has developed &quot;Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)&quot; which Ubuntu is run on. It allows for files on a Windows machine to be interacted with using Linux command-line tools as well as providing a genuine Ubuntu Linux environment within Windows.
Ruby on Rails can now be installed and ran within a Ubuntu environment while accessing application code located on the Windows File System. This means we can use windows applications like Visual Studio Code to modify the application code but have it be served through the Ubuntu environment.
<h3 id="enabling-ubuntu-on-windows-10">Enabling Ubuntu on Windows 10</h3>
You must be running 64bit Windows 10 with the Anniversary Update or later. And follow the <a href="https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/commandline/wsl/install_guide">MSDN installation instructions</a>
<h3 id="installing-ruby-on-rails">Installing Ruby on Rails</h3>
After the restart you should be able to press the start menu type in &quot;ubuntu&quot; and see the following new program. Clicking on it opens up a bash shell.
<img src="/windowsrails/ubuntuapp.webp" alt="Ubuntu on Windows">
It is within Bash where we will be installing Ruby on Rails. Because this isn&#39;t a post about how to install Ruby on Rails on Ubuntu I will link to a <a href="https://gorails.com/setup/ubuntu/14.04">great guide on how to do just that</a>. Since we are now in a Ubuntu Bash Shell we can treat it as such and follow any Ubuntu resources.
<h3 id="conceptual-overview">Conceptual Overview</h3>
Now that we have enabled Ubuntu on Windows and installing Ruby on Rails in that environment we are ready to generate a new project.
It&#39;s now when I would like to point out that <a href="https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/commandline/2016/11/17/do-not-change-linux-files-using-windows-apps-and-tools">using Windows apps and tools to change Linux files is a bad idea and can lead to data loss</a>. Instead we will be using Linux to modify Windows files which is completely fine and <a href="https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/commandline/2016/11/17/do-not-change-linux-files-using-windows-apps-and-tools/#comment-25677">within the intended use of WSL</a>.
Within our Bash shell the Windows File System can be found at <code>/mnt/</code>. Below is a comparison of <code>/mnt/c</code> and the C drive contents navigated to from the file explorer. Notice that they are identical; we are now navigating into the Windows File System from Linux.
<img src="/windowsrails/mntcompare.webp" alt="mnt/c and C drive compare">
So long as we generate the Rails project within the Windows File System (<code>/mnt</code>) we are inline with intended use and at no risk of data loss. Not to mention we can then modify those files as we would for any other Windows files.
<h3 id="generating-a-new-rails-app">Generating a New Rails App</h3>
I have found that the best thing to do first is create a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolic_link">symlink</a> to our Windows development folder. For this post I have created the following directory within windows <code>E:\documents\ruby_projects</code> which from within the Bash shell is <code>/mnt/e/documents/ruby_projects</code>.
<img src="/windowsrails/symlink.webp" alt="creating a symlink">
<code>$ ln -s TARGET LINK_NAME</code>
<ol>
<li>change directories into <code>~/ruby_projects</code> and see files that are actually located at <code>/mnt/e/documents/ruby_projects</code></li>
<li><code>$ rails new blog</code> to generate a new Rails app named &quot;blog&quot;</li>
<li>CD into the new blog directory and do <code>$ rails server</code> which will start a server listening on port 3000</li>
<li>Navigate to <code>localhost:3000</code> within a Windows web browser.</li>
</ol>
<img src="/windowsrails/rails_setup_success.webp" alt="rails setup success image">
Success! Note how that message is saying Ruby is running within Linux.
Now you can open up your favorite text editor/IDE in Windows and edit the files at <code>E:\documents\ruby_projects</code> just like normal. The changes will be seen by the Rails server running on Ubuntu and reflected on localhost.

Installing Ruby on Rails Leveraging Ubuntu on Windows 10

This post will be a walk through of how to export a Heroku PostgreSQL database, table, or query to a `.csv` file. Its worth noting that if the goal is to export Heroku's database and import it into another (like localhost) there is documentation for that in [Heroku's dev center](https://devcenter.heroku.com/articles/heroku-postgres-import-export).

Two methods of accessing a Heroku hosted Postgres database will be covered in this post.

1. Utilizing the [Heroku CLI](https://toolbelt.heroku.com/) to connect to the postgres server. Then issuing commands via the console which will require postgres be installed on local machine.
2. Utilizing [pgAdmin's GUI](https://www.pgadmin.org/) which does not require that postgres be installed locally.

**Database Credentials**

Heroku has a page that shows all postgres databases associated with an account located at [https://postgres.heroku.com/databases](https://postgres.heroku.com/databases). Going to this page and navigating to the appropriate app will yield connection information to access the database. Different parts of this connection page will be used for each method of exporting a CSV.

## Heroku CLI

After looking up the database information copy the value for the `Psql` connection setting and paste it into the terminal. Being logged into the Heroku CLI is required to execute the `Psql` command `$ heroku login`.

```shell
heroku pg:psql --app amazing-wetland-1234 DATABASE
```

At this point it's now possible to run queries on the database. To start enter `$ \dt` which is the equivalent of a MySQL `$ show tables`.

```none
List of relations
Schema | Name | Type | Owner
--------+-------------------+-------+----------------
public | schema_migrations | table | <redacted>
public | posts | table | <redacted>
public | users | table | <redacted>
(3 rows)
```

Now that its clear a connection has been made successfully the [\COPY command](https://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.2/static/sql-copy.html) can be used.

**Export Entire Table**

```sql
\COPY users TO '~/user_export.csv' WITH (FORMAT csv, DELIMITER ',', HEADER true);
```

The above command will export all the rows and metadata of the users table to `user_exports.csv` located at in home directory. the `HEADER` option means that the table columns are included at the first line of the csv file like below.

```none
id,email,encrypted_password,etc,etc
1,example@domain.com,2a10iOnKWh6MGprDXxlS,etc,etc
```

**Export Specific Query**

```sql
\COPY (SELECT * FROM shifts WHERE user_id = '7') TO '~/shifts_export.csv' WITH (FORMAT csv, DELIMITER ',', HEADER true);
```

The above command will export a csv file in the same way as the previous method. The difference being only the query results are being exported; not an entire table.

## pgAdmin GUI

The first step is to add a new postgres server by going to `file > add server...`. The `Properties` and `Advanced` tabs will be the only ones used on this window.

Under the `Properties` tab match the information with the Heroku connection settings page of the app discussed at the top of the post.

![properties tab settings](/pgexport/properties_tab.webp)

Under the `Advanced` tab add a `DB restriction` of the database surronded by single quotes. Heroku hosts many postgres databases on a given server; without adding a restriction all databases will be shown and make it hard to connect to the right one.

![advanced tab settings](/pgexport/advanced_tab.webp)

Upon connecting to the server select the database name from the Hierarchical menu on the left and side of the UI. to run a query pull up the `Query Tool` by going to `tools > query tool`.

![query tool](/pgexport/query_tool.webp)

The highlighted button will run the query then write the results to a file. Any query can be exported to a file and to export an entire table run the following query: `SELECT * FROM table`. Make sure to append the filename with the `.csv` extension.

![export data settings](/pgexport/export_settings.webp)

This post will be a walk through of how to export a Heroku PostgreSQL database, table, or query to a <code>.csv</code> file. Its worth noting that if the goal is to export Heroku&#39;s database and import it into another (like localhost) there is documentation for that in <a href="https://devcenter.heroku.com/articles/heroku-postgres-import-export">Heroku&#39;s dev center</a>.
Two methods of accessing a Heroku hosted Postgres database will be covered in this post.
<ol>
<li>Utilizing the <a href="https://toolbelt.heroku.com/">Heroku CLI</a> to connect to the postgres server. Then issuing commands via the console which will require postgres be installed on local machine.</li>
<li>Utilizing <a href="https://www.pgadmin.org/">pgAdmin&#39;s GUI</a> which does not require that postgres be installed locally.</li>
</ol>
Database Credentials
Heroku has a page that shows all postgres databases associated with an account located at <a href="https://postgres.heroku.com/databases">https://postgres.heroku.com/databases</a>. Going to this page and navigating to the appropriate app will yield connection information to access the database. Different parts of this connection page will be used for each method of exporting a CSV.
<h2 id="heroku-cli">Heroku CLI</h2>
After looking up the database information copy the value for the <code>Psql</code> connection setting and paste it into the terminal. Being logged into the Heroku CLI is required to execute the <code>Psql</code> command <code>$ heroku login</code>.
<pre><code class="language-shell">heroku pg:psql --app amazing-wetland-1234 DATABASE
</code></pre>
At this point it&#39;s now possible to run queries on the database. To start enter <code>$ \dt</code> which is the equivalent of a MySQL <code>$ show tables</code>.
<pre><code class="language-none">List of relations
Schema | Name | Type | Owner
--------+-------------------+-------+----------------
public | schema_migrations | table | &lt;redacted&gt;
public | posts | table | &lt;redacted&gt;
public | users | table | &lt;redacted&gt;
(3 rows)
</code></pre>
Now that its clear a connection has been made successfully the <a href="https://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.2/static/sql-copy.html">\COPY command</a> can be used.
Export Entire Table
<pre><code class="language-sql">\COPY users TO &#39;~/user_export.csv&#39; WITH (FORMAT csv, DELIMITER &#39;,&#39;, HEADER true);
</code></pre>
The above command will export all the rows and metadata of the users table to <code>user_exports.csv</code> located at in home directory. the <code>HEADER</code> option means that the table columns are included at the first line of the csv file like below.
<pre><code class="language-none">id,email,encrypted_password,etc,etc
1,example@domain.com,2a10iOnKWh6MGprDXxlS,etc,etc
</code></pre>
Export Specific Query
<pre><code class="language-sql">\COPY (SELECT * FROM shifts WHERE user_id = &#39;7&#39;) TO &#39;~/shifts_export.csv&#39; WITH (FORMAT csv, DELIMITER &#39;,&#39;, HEADER true);
</code></pre>
The above command will export a csv file in the same way as the previous method. The difference being only the query results are being exported; not an entire table.
<h2 id="pgadmin-gui">pgAdmin GUI</h2>
The first step is to add a new postgres server by going to <code>file &gt; add server...</code>. The <code>Properties</code> and <code>Advanced</code> tabs will be the only ones used on this window.
Under the <code>Properties</code> tab match the information with the Heroku connection settings page of the app discussed at the top of the post.
<img src="/pgexport/properties_tab.webp" alt="properties tab settings">
Under the <code>Advanced</code> tab add a <code>DB restriction</code> of the database surronded by single quotes. Heroku hosts many postgres databases on a given server; without adding a restriction all databases will be shown and make it hard to connect to the right one.
<img src="/pgexport/advanced_tab.webp" alt="advanced tab settings">
Upon connecting to the server select the database name from the Hierarchical menu on the left and side of the UI. to run a query pull up the <code>Query Tool</code> by going to <code>tools &gt; query tool</code>.
<img src="/pgexport/query_tool.webp" alt="query tool">
The highlighted button will run the query then write the results to a file. Any query can be exported to a file and to export an entire table run the following query: <code>SELECT * FROM table</code>. Make sure to append the filename with the <code>.csv</code> extension.
<img src="/pgexport/export_settings.webp" alt="export data settings">

Export a Heroku Postgres table to a csv file

Introduction to Google Maps API Featuring ES6 Promises

James Bedont

Software Engineer

Installing Ruby on Rails Leveraging Ubuntu on Windows 10

Export a Heroku Postgres table to a csv file

Introduction to Google Maps API Featuring ES6 Promises