Re: [HACKERS] freefuncs.c is never called from anywhere!?

Bruce Momjian <pgman(at)candle(dot)pha(dot)pa(dot)us> writes:
>> I was rather bemused to discover just now that the node-freeing
>> functions in nodes/freefuncs.c are never called from anywhere;
>> in fact, the module hasn't got a single exported entry point!

> Are you sure about this? I thought these things were called from
> macros.

nm --defined --extern shows that freefuncs.o exports no symbols.
Therefore it's impossible for any outside code to refer to it.
(Hmm, I wonder if any other modules are equally dead?)

> I would perhaps move it to a _deadcode directory and see
> what happens. Or should we enable it?

I certainly don't want to bit-bucket it --- I was just very surprised
that it's not currently being used.

After further consideration I realized that if RelationClearRelation
uses freeObject() to flush rules, then a DROP on a view will exercise
the code. So it's not quite as hard to test as I was thinking before.
I'm leaning towards the "go for it" answer at the moment...

regards, tom lane