Re: [HACKERS] Win32 WEXITSTATUS too

> Well, I am thinking of cases where we the error can help the user
> diagnose the problem. I have found a way to print descriptions with
> FormatMessage(), and the codes without descriptions will just print
as
> hex.

I also think this is correct. Like errno and strerror() combination
on UNIX, descriptions obtained from FormatMessage() should be
displayed with error codes from GetLastError(). I thought Bruce-san
is trying to display descriptions (or a URL to them) for the
"exception" codes, not "error" codes. Descriptions for exception
codes can't be obtained with FormatMessage, can they?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bruce Momjian" <bruce(at)momjian(dot)us>
To: "Takayuki Tsunakawa" <tsunakawa(dot)takay(at)jp(dot)fujitsu(dot)com>
Cc: "Tom Lane" <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us>; "Alvaro Herrera"
<alvherre(at)commandprompt(dot)com>; "Magnus Hagander" <magnus(at)hagander(dot)net>;
"ITAGAKI Takahiro" <itagaki(dot)takahiro(at)oss(dot)ntt(dot)co(dot)jp>;
"PostgreSQL-patches" <pgsql-patches(at)postgresql(dot)org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 10:37 AM
Subject: Re: [pgsql-patches] [HACKERS] Win32 WEXITSTATUS too

> Takayuki Tsunakawa wrote:
>> From: "Bruce Momjian" <bruce(at)momjian(dot)us>
>> > Tom Lane wrote:
>> >> Basically this whole idea is misconceived. Just print the
number
>> and
>> >> have done.
>> >
>> > And how do people interpret that number?
>>
>> I understand that "people" Bruce-san is saying means PostgreSQL
>> developers, not ordinary users.
>> When ordinary users encounter an Win32 exception, what they can do
is
>> to report the message and the description of phenomenon to
PostgreSQL
>> developers. What can they do when they see the descriptive text of
an
>> exception code, such as "Access violation" for 0xC0000005? An
>> exception means a bug of PostgreSQL. Win32 exceptions are
different
>> from errno on UNIX (counterpart of which is Win32 error code.) Can
>> they avoid the exception by changing PostgreSQL settings? If
luckly
>> so in one case, can they think of the treatment from the message?
>>
>> If "people" means PostgreSQL developers, the descriptive text is
not
>> necessary either. I think the developers who try to solve the bug
>> know where to refer to interpret the exception code.
>>
>> My opinion is the same as Tom-san's.
>
> Well, I am thinking of cases where we the error can help the user
> diagnose the problem. I have found a way to print descriptions with
> FormatMessage(), and the codes without descriptions will just print
as
> hex.
>
> --
> Bruce Momjian bruce(at)momjian(dot)us
> EnterpriseDB http://www.enterprisedb.com
>
> + If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +
>
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