Re: preserving db/ts/relfilenode OIDs across pg_upgrade (was Re: storing an explicit nonce)

On Tue, Dec 14, 2021 at 1:21 PM Shruthi Gowda <gowdashru(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote:
> Thanks, Robert for the updated version. I reviewed the changes and it
> looks fine.
> I also tested the patch. The patch works as expected.

Thanks.

> > - I adjusted the function header comment for heap_create. Your
> > proposed comment seemed like it was pretty detailed but not 100%
> > correct. It also made one of the lines kind of long because you didn't
> > wrap the text in the surrounding style. I decided to make it simpler
> > and shorter instead of longer still and 100% correct.
>
> The comment update looks fine. However, I still feel it would be good to
> mention on which (rare) circumstance a valid relfilenode can get passed.

In general, I think it's the job of a function parameter comment to
describe what the parameter does, not how the callers actually use it.
One problem with describing the latter is that, if someone later adds
another caller, there is a pretty good chance that they won't notice
that the comment needs to be changed. More fundamentally, the
parameter function comments should be like an instruction manual for
how to use the function. If you are trying to figure out how to use
this function, it is not helpful to know that "most callers like to
pass false" for this parameter. What you need to know is what value
your new call site should pass, and knowing what "most callers" do or
that something is "rare" doesn't really help. If we want to make this
comment more detailed, we should approach it from the point of view of
explaining how it ought to be set.

I've committed the v8-0001 patch you attached. I'll write separately
about v8-0002.

--
Robert Haas
EDB: http://www.enterprisedb.com