How To: "Watch" a PSQL table from the command line

Follow this procedure to use watch with a psql query from a Linux command prompt:

• Create a .pgpass file as follows:
  • vi /root/.pgpass
    
  • Fill in the file as follows:

*:*:<username>:<password>

• Execute the command:

chmod 0600 /root/.pgpass

•  Execute the command:

watch 'psql -c "insert_query_here;" -U <username> <database_name>'