Followup comment for bug report 'postmaster ignores SIGPIPE' [was: Bug#255208: Would help with client aborts, too.]

Hi PostgreSQL developers,

FYI, this was recently sent to the ancient old Debian bug report
'Postmaster ignores SIGPIPE'. [1] It seems that this was introduced
way back in 1997 in [2], but withouth a sufficient explanation why
SIGPIPE isn't properly handled instead of just ignored.

The bug trail in [1] contains a followup from Tom that ignoring
SIGPIPE is specifically intended. Is there any document which states
the reason for that?

Thanks in advance for any insight,

Martin

[1] http://bugs.debian.org/255208
[2] http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers/1997-02/msg00276.php

----- Forwarded message from Markus Schaber <schabi(at)logix-tt(dot)com> -----

Subject: Bug#255208: Would help with client aborts, too.
Reply-To: Markus Schaber <schabi(at)logix-tt(dot)com>, 255208(at)bugs(dot)debian(dot)org
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2006 13:08:55 +0100
From: Markus Schaber <schabi(at)logix-tt(dot)com>
To: 255208(at)bugs(dot)debian(dot)org
X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.7 required=4.0 tests=AWL,BAYES_50,
DATE_IN_FUTURE_06_12 autolearn=no version=3.0.3

Hello,

Listening to SIGPIPE could also help detecting "unclean" client-side
connection aborts, e. G. due to a program crash or sigkill on the
client, or network problem between server and client.

This way, the server could abort long-running statements immediately,
instead of running them just to rollback them afterwards because the
client does not commit.

During development, I often forcedly abort my java clients, but the
server continues to execute the current statement. Having two or three
such sequential scans running in the background, selectively sending
SIGTERM to the backends as root is the only way to get the postmaster
responsive again.

Thanks,
Markus
--
Markus Schaber | Logical Tracking&Tracing International AG
Dipl. Inf. | Software Development GIS

Fight against software patents in EU! www.ffii.org www.nosoftwarepatents.org

----- End forwarded message -----

--
Martin Pitt http://www.piware.de
Ubuntu Developer http://www.ubuntu.com
Debian Developer http://www.debian.org

In a world without walls and fences, who needs Windows and Gates?