Re: PGXLOG variable worthwhile?

"scott.marlowe" wrote:
<snip>
> > Seems like the NT4 users are left out in the cold though until we add
> > some kind of ability for PostgreSQL to not look at the filesystem for
> > info about where to put the xlog files.
>
> This isn't true. With the resource kit, you get the gnu utils, and ln
> works a charm under NT4 with ntfs. And not just for directories, but
> files as well. Unless Microsoft somehow removed that functionality in the
> intervening years since I've used NT. (wouldn't put it past them, but I
> doubt they have.)

The reference point that I'm working from is this:

- Am testing out the third beta of the Native PostgreSQL port for
Windows, on NT4 SP6 at present.
- Have an internal RAID array of Seagate Cheetah 10kRPM drives. When
installing the PGDATA directory on one drive it gives a certain kind of
performance, and I'm interested in testing the performance of the Native
PostgreSQL port for Windows with the xlog directory being located on
another drive.
- Have tried doing normal shortcuts, and have also tried using the
cygwin "ln" command to create the appropriate soft link. Both
approaches create a shortcut object of the correct name pointing to the
correct place on the new drive, but the only thing that appears to
follow this shortcut is when I click on them using Windows Explorer.
The Native PostgreSQL port for Windows doesn't, and neither do a few
other applications I tested.

Would it be correct to say that the 'ln' command in the MS Resource Kit
creates this kind of shortcut too, as the Reparse Points feature doesn't
seem to be possible under NT4?

Can only think of two real solutions at present, one being for us to add
a PGXLOG environment variable or similar ability (GUC parameter
perhaps?), and the other would be for the Native PostgreSQL for Windows
port to follow these shortcuts.

Not if any of these is all that easy, or maybe there is another solution
that would work (apart from ignoring the problem).

:-)

Regards and best wishes,

Justin Clift

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"My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people: those
who work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the
first group; there was less competition there."
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