Re: GUC with units, details

Jim Nasby <jnasby@pervasive.com> writes:
> First, when it comes to page values, perhaps we should allow pages/ 
> blocks as a valid unit. That would allow people who want to to  
> specify things in pages and still be explicit about what they mean.

> Second, lack of interest or no, I feel forcing specific casing/SI  
> units is a flat-out bad idea.

+1 on both of those.  I think that pg_settings should actually show
"pages" as the native unit for shared_buffers et al.  The current "8kb"
display isn't a valid unit --- consider what happens if a program doesselect setting || unit from pg_settings ...
You'll get a completely misleading result.  And if you want to know how
big a page is, there's already a way to find that out, ie, SHOW
block_size, so displaying the unit this way isn't adding any
functionality.

Lastly, shouldn't unit read out as null where it's not applicable?
It looks like it's null in some of the rows but empty string elsewhere.
That's just weird.
        regards, tom lane