Re: pg_ctl configurable timeout

> ------- Original Message -------
> From: Peter Eisentraut <peter_e(at)gmx(dot)net>
> To: pgsql-hackers(at)postgresql(dot)org
> Sent: 29/10/07, 17:54:00
> Subject: Re: [HACKERS] pg_ctl configurable timeout
>
> Am Freitag, 17. August 2007 schrieb Peter Eisentraut:
> > I'm having trouble with the hardcoded 60 second timeout in pg_ctl. pg_ctl
> > sometimes just times out and there is no way to make it wait a little
> > longer. I would like to add an option to be able to change that, say
> > pg_ctl -w --timeout=120. Comments?
>
> Lost track of this, but it keeps biting me.
>
> Somehow, the 60 second timeout seems completely arbitrary anyway. Maybe we
> should remove it altogether. We could add an option as described above, but
> then the packager who creates the init script or whoever creates the initial
> configuration will have to make an equally arbitrary choice. And most likely
> you will not notice that your configuration is insufficient until you are
> really in a bind.
>
> What should we do?

We need the option on Windows to prevent dependent services being started too quickly.

The same problem occurs there with pg_ctl reporting it's status to the service control manager. The scm interface handles this by having the service regularly increment a variable, and if required, updating the estimated startup time. A similar architecture might be feasible if we had the postmaster signal pg_ctl periodically until started at which point a different signal is sent. We then only timeout if no pulse or started signal is received within X seconds.

Regards, Dave