Re: [HACKERS] Terminating a backend

Bruce Momjian wrote:
> > > When we get the termination signal, why can't we just set a global
> > > boolean, do a query cancel, and in the setjmp() code block check the
> > > global and exit --- at that stage we know we have released all locks and
> > > can exit cleanly.
> >
> > I have implemented this idea with the attached patch.
>
> One problem I have with my patch is that SIGTERM is currently used by
> the postmaster to shut down backends.  Now because the postmaster knows
> that all backend are terminating, it can accept a dirtier shutdown than
> one where we are terminating just one backend and the rest are going to
> keep running.  The new SIGTERM coding is going to exit a backend only in
> a place where cancel is checked.

I have a idea --- to have pg_terminate_backend() set a PGPROC boolean
and then send a query cancel signal to the backend --- the backend can
then check the boolean and exit if required.  I will work on a new
version of this patch tomorrow/Monday.

--
  Bruce Momjian  <bruce@momjian.us>        http://momjian.us
  EnterpriseDB                             http://enterprisedb.com

  + If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +