pgsql: Avoid calling kill() in a postmaster signal handler.

From: alvherre(at)postgresql(dot)org (Alvaro Herrera)
To: pgsql-committers(at)postgresql(dot)org
Subject: pgsql: Avoid calling kill() in a postmaster signal handler.
Date: 2009-08-24 17:23:17
Message-ID: 20090824172317.2908D75331E@cvs.postgresql.org
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Log Message:
-----------
Avoid calling kill() in a postmaster signal handler.

This causes problems when the system load is high, per report from Zdenek
Kotala in <1250860954(dot)1239(dot)114(dot)camel(at)localhost>; instead of calling kill
directly, have the signal handler set a flag which is checked in ServerLoop.
This way, the handler can return before being called again by a subsequent
signal sent from the autovacuum launcher. Also, increase the sleep in the
launcher in this failure path to 1 second.

Backpatch to 8.3, which is when the signalling between autovacuum
launcher/postmaster was introduced.

Also, add a couple of ReleasePostmasterChildSlot calls in error paths; this
part backpatched to 8.4 which is when the child slot stuff was introduced.

Tags:
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REL8_4_STABLE

Modified Files:
--------------
pgsql/src/backend/postmaster:
autovacuum.c (r1.99 -> r1.99.2.1)
(http://anoncvs.postgresql.org/cvsweb.cgi/pgsql/src/backend/postmaster/autovacuum.c?r1=1.99&r2=1.99.2.1)
postmaster.c (r1.583.2.3 -> r1.583.2.4)
(http://anoncvs.postgresql.org/cvsweb.cgi/pgsql/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c?r1=1.583.2.3&r2=1.583.2.4)

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