Re: "Alter system" command documentation

David G. Johnston wrote:
> On Mon, Jun 15, 2015 at 4:58 PM, Euler Taveira <euler(at)timbira(dot)com(dot)br> wrote:
>
> > On 15-06-2015 13:32, Jeff Janes wrote:

> > > Isn't it unfortunate that the command used for changing the
> > > configuration file from within SQL mentions SIGHUP and pg_ctl
> > > reload, but not "select pg_reload_conf();", as a way to activate
> > > that change?
> > >
> > SIGHUP is an implementation detail. If I were to change that
> > sentence, my preference is replace SIGHUP with pg_reload_conf.
>
> I disagree on SIGHUP being an implementation detail. Using signals in
> IPC (inter-process communication) is a public API that should be
> documented when applicable.

Agreed. However, I don't think it makes sense to document that either
SIGHUP, pg_ctl reload, and pg_reload_conf() can be used whenever a
parameter reload is mentioned; that would bloat too much (in a quick
grep, I see at least 10-15 places where SIGHUP or "reload" is mentioned
in the context of config files.) Maybe we should have one section
somewhere, saying "reload is executed by any of the following:" and list
them all. Then this place and others could simply say "these values are
effective after reload, about which see section X.Y.Z".

--
Álvaro Herrera http://www.2ndQuadrant.com/
PostgreSQL Development, 24x7 Support, Remote DBA, Training & Services