Confusing message in log file

Gurjeet Singh wrote:

Hi All,

I changed the postgresql.conf file (of an 8.2.4 server), and issued
relaod using pg_reload_config(). Following are the messages I see in the log
files:

May 14 21:38:40 sfphotodb001 postgres[29658]: [19-1] 2008-05-14 21:38:40
PDTLOG: received SIGHUP, reloading configuration files
May 14 21:38:40 sfphotodb001 postgres[29658]: [20-1] 2008-05-14 21:38:40
PDTLOG: parameter "shared_buffers" cannot be changed after server start;
configuration file change ignored
May 14 21:39:03 sfphotodb001 postgres[22928]: [21-1] 2008-05-14 21:39:03
PDTLOG: archived transaction log file "0000000100000E23000000C8"

What's confusing about this is that the second message says
'configuration file change ignored', so I expect the changed (newly enabled)
archive_command to not take effect. But in fact, it does take effect.

The message probably should be rephrased to say that this setting
(shared_buffers) will not be changed.

Actually, no one else has been confused by this wording before, and I
can't think of better wording that doesn't sound redundant.

--
Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us> http://momjian.us
EnterpriseDB http://enterprisedb.com

+ If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +

Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us> writes:

Gurjeet Singh wrote:

May 14 21:38:40 sfphotodb001 postgres[29658]: [20-1] 2008-05-14 21:38:40
PDTLOG: parameter "shared_buffers" cannot be changed after server start;
configuration file change ignored

The message probably should be rephrased to say that this setting
(shared_buffers) will not be changed.

Actually, no one else has been confused by this wording before, and I
can't think of better wording that doesn't sound redundant.

How about "... after server start; change ignored" ?
Or "attempted change ignored" ?

regards, tom lane

Tom Lane wrote:

Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us> writes:

Gurjeet Singh wrote:

May 14 21:38:40 sfphotodb001 postgres[29658]: [20-1] 2008-05-14 21:38:40
PDTLOG: parameter "shared_buffers" cannot be changed after server start;
configuration file change ignored

The message probably should be rephrased to say that this setting
(shared_buffers) will not be changed.

Actually, no one else has been confused by this wording before, and I
can't think of better wording that doesn't sound redundant.

How about "... after server start; change ignored" ?
Or "attempted change ignored" ?

Yea, I like "change ignored" rather than mentioning the configuration
file.

--
Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us> http://momjian.us
EnterpriseDB http://enterprisedb.com

+ If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +

Bruce Momjian escribi�:

Gurjeet Singh wrote:

May 14 21:38:40 sfphotodb001 postgres[29658]: [19-1] 2008-05-14 21:38:40
PDTLOG: received SIGHUP, reloading configuration files
May 14 21:38:40 sfphotodb001 postgres[29658]: [20-1] 2008-05-14 21:38:40
PDTLOG: parameter "shared_buffers" cannot be changed after server start;
configuration file change ignored

What's confusing about this is that the second message says
'configuration file change ignored', so I expect the changed (newly enabled)
archive_command to not take effect. But in fact, it does take effect.

The message probably should be rephrased to say that this setting
(shared_buffers) will not be changed.

Actually, no one else has been confused by this wording before, and I
can't think of better wording that doesn't sound redundant.

Perhaps this is because not enough people have seen it. I agree that
the message should specify that only this setting has been ignored.

In any case, this seems a case of stuffing too much in the primary
message. I think it should be something like

errmsg("parameter \"shared_buffer\" change in configuration file ignored"),
errdetail("This parameter cannot be changed after server start.")

--
Alvaro Herrera http://www.CommandPrompt.com/
The PostgreSQL Company - Command Prompt, Inc.

Alvaro Herrera <alvherre@commandprompt.com> writes:

In any case, this seems a case of stuffing too much in the primary
message.

Yeah, good point.

I think it should be something like
errmsg("parameter \"shared_buffer\" change in configuration file ignored"),
errdetail("This parameter cannot be changed after server start.")

Seems a bit awkwardly phrased. I propose

errmsg("attempted change to parameter \"shared_buffer\" ignored"),
errdetail("This parameter cannot be changed after server start.")

(or possibly "of" would read better than "to")

regards, tom lane

On Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 7:33 PM, Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us> wrote:

Alvaro Herrera <alvherre@commandprompt.com> writes:

In any case, this seems a case of stuffing too much in the primary
message.

Yeah, good point.

I think it should be something like
errmsg("parameter \"shared_buffer\" change in configuration file

ignored"),

errdetail("This parameter cannot be changed after server start.")

Seems a bit awkwardly phrased. I propose

errmsg("attempted change to parameter \"shared_buffer\" ignored"),
errdetail("This parameter cannot be changed after server start.")

(or possibly "of" would read better than "to")

'of' sounds better than 'to'.

Best regards,
--
gurjeet[.singh]@EnterpriseDB.com
singh.gurjeet@{ gmail | hotmail | indiatimes | yahoo }.com

EnterpriseDB http://www.enterprisedb.com

Mail sent from my BlackLaptop device

Wording adjusted and applied with attached patch.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gurjeet Singh wrote:

On Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 7:33 PM, Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us> wrote:

Alvaro Herrera <alvherre@commandprompt.com> writes:

In any case, this seems a case of stuffing too much in the primary
message.

Yeah, good point.

I think it should be something like
errmsg("parameter \"shared_buffer\" change in configuration file

ignored"),

errdetail("This parameter cannot be changed after server start.")

Seems a bit awkwardly phrased. I propose

errmsg("attempted change to parameter \"shared_buffer\" ignored"),
errdetail("This parameter cannot be changed after server start.")

(or possibly "of" would read better than "to")

'of' sounds better than 'to'.

Best regards,
--
gurjeet[.singh]@EnterpriseDB.com
singh.gurjeet@{ gmail | hotmail | indiatimes | yahoo }.com

EnterpriseDB http://www.enterprisedb.com

Mail sent from my BlackLaptop device

--
Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us> http://momjian.us
EnterpriseDB http://enterprisedb.com

+ If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +