Re: [HACKERS] 0x1A in control file on Windows

Tom Lane wrote:
> Bruce Momjian <bruce(at)momjian(dot)us> writes:
>
>> Tom Lane wrote:
>>
>>> Well, why is that a bug? If the platform is so silly as to define text
>>> files that way, who are we to argue?
>>>
>
>
>> The problem is that our pg_controldata might have binary values that
>> contain 0x1a that will be confused by the operating system as
>> end-of-file.
>>
>
> pg_controldata is certainly already being read as binary.

Umm, no, it is in the backend I believe but not in the utilities. Hence
the original bug report. We need to add the binary flag in
pg_controldata.c and pg_resetxlog.c.

> The
> discussion here is about *text* files, particularly configuration
> files. Why should we not adhere to the platform standard about
> what a text file is?
>
> If you need a positive reason why this might be a bad idea, consider the
> idea that someone is examining postgresql.conf with a text editor that
> stops reading at control-Z. He might not be able to see items that the
> postmaster is treating as valid.
>
>
>

Yes, exactly right. We certainly can't just open everything in binary
mode. Magnus did say that all the current config files are opened in
text mode as far as he could see.

cheers

andrew