Re: For review: Server instrumentation patch

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tom Lane [mailto:tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us]
> Sent: 26 July 2005 22:01
> To: Magnus Hagander
> Cc: Stephen Frost; Andrew Dunstan; Andreas Pflug; Bruce
> Momjian; Dave Page; PostgreSQL-development
> Subject: Re: [HACKERS] For review: Server instrumentation patch
>
> "Magnus Hagander" <mha(at)sollentuna(dot)net> writes:
> >> I'm OK with them even without the directory limitation as
> >> long as there's a way to disable them. However, I fear the
> >> whole thing has to wait for 8.2 at this point.
>
> > That would be very bad - considering it just missed 8.0 as well.
>
> [ shrug... ] The same objections were raised during the 8.0
> development
> cycle, and nothing was done in response, except to submit essentially
> the same patch at an equally late stage of the 8.1 cycle.

But that's exactly the point - these objections *were not* raised as far
as anyone has been able to find in the archives, and the last time we
discussed it
(http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers/2005-06/msg01147.php), I
pointed this out, with references to the original threads *and*
specifically asked what the outstanding issues were that had not been
addressed.

The only answer I got was that the file access functions should not
operate outside $PGDATA, which they do not.

> The people
> who are interested in this need to put a higher priority on developing
> an acceptable patch, or it'll miss the next round as well.

We have no problem with that, and are happy to do so. What we object to
is not being told there is a show-stopping objection until it is too
late, despite specifically asking the question some weeks before feature
freeze, during an active discussion on the subject.

I'm assuming that you are specifically objecting to pg_file_write,
pg_file_rename, and pg_file_unlink? Would you accept the rest of the
patch without those for 8.1, and a new patch for 8.2 to add those three
functions in a manner you are happy with? That at least would allow
viewing of logfiles etc. in this release.

Regards, Dave.