Re: [pgsql-hackers-win32] Tablespaces

> "Zeugswetter Andreas SB SD" <ZeugswetterA@spardat.at> writes:
>>>> My feeling is that we need not support tablespaces on OS's without
>>>> symlinks.
>
>> To create symlinked directories on Win2k NTFS see:
>>     http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/source/misc.shtml#junction
>> I think Win2000 or XP would be a reasonable restriction for Win32 PG
>> installations that want tablespaces.
>
> Oh, good --- symlinks for directories are all that we need for this
> design.  I think that settles it then.
>

Er, sorry to drop into the middle of this but do you want to cripple a port
before it is even complete?  Is there a compelling reason to use symlinks rather
than a flat file?  If the issue is just:

> Gavin Sherry <swm@linuxworld.com.au> writes:
>how the low-level file access code finds a tablespace.

then what is wrong with using an XML file that is loaded and traversed at start
up?  I agree it would be a cool to use the file system as a database, but why
place a possible limiting factor for the sake of elegance?  Isn't XML a valid
and accepted way to store hierarchial data?

> Gavin Sherry <swm@linuxworld.com.au> writes:
> I am expecting to hear some bleating about this from people whose
> preferred platforms don't support symlinks ;-).  However, if we don't

Well bleat I guess.  Although I wouldn't exactly say preferred.  I prefer to
think of myself as a realest getting paid to program on a platform.  A platform
with symlinks carrying quite a bit of baggage.  On NTFS they are called Junction
Points and are a special type of Reparse Point.  One thing I noticed on the
Microsoft site regarding these:

(http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/DDK/IFSkit/reparse.mspx)
>Reparse Points are a powerful feature of Windows 2000 (not available on Windows
>NT® 4.0), but developers should be aware that there can only be one reparse
>point per file, and some new Windows 2000 mechanisms use reparse points (HSM,
>Native Structured Storage). Developers need to have fallback strategies for
>when the reparse point tag is already in use for a file.

makes me question their usefulness at this point.  I am currently exploring
another solution to the problem that caused me to investigate them.

Well, thanks for your time.  I guess I can go baaack to lurking now. ;-)


Lawrence E. Smithmier, Jr.
MCP, MCAD
(919) 522-9738
Larry@Smithmier.com