Re: Thanks, naming conventions, and count()

> On Sun, 29 Apr 2001, Bruce Momjian wrote:
> 
> > >
> > > doesn't this defeat the reasons for going to numerics?  is there a reason
> > > why its such a difficult thing to do a SELECT oid on pg_database and
> > > pg_class to get this information?  that's what I've been doing when I need
> > > to know *shrug*
> >
> > Yes, but you can't do that if you can't start the database or can't
> > connect for some reason.  If people don't think it is worthwhile, we can
> > delete the TODO item.
> 
> Okay, what does being able to ls the directory give you if you can't start
> the database?  the only thing I do it for is to figure out whicih tables
> are taking up so much disk space, or which databases ...

Yes, it is just for admin convenience, and if you pull back a database
from a tar backup, you can know which files are which without starting
the database.

> 
> > For example, when someone has trouble figuring out which directory is
> > which database, they can just ls and look at the symlinks.  Seems like
> > a nice feature.
> 
> Ya, but I thought that the reason for going numeric had to do with being
> transaction safe ... something about being able to safely RENAME a table,
> if my recollection remotely comes close ... as soon as you start throwing
> around symlinks, do we break that once more?  what about if someone wants
> to physically move a table to a seperate file system, which is something
> that has been suggested as a way around the fact that all files are in the
> same subdirectory?  You have a symlink to the symlink?
> 
> I don't know the answers to these questions, which is why I'm asking them
> ... if this is something safe to do, and doesn't break us again, then
> sounds like a good idea to me too ...

I was suggesting the symlinks purely for admin convenience.  The database
would use only the numeric names.

--  Bruce Momjian                        |  http://candle.pha.pa.us pgman@candle.pha.pa.us               |  (610)
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