[SOLVED] Re: pgsql8b5 not launching on OSX system start; otherwise OK

hi tom,

>>     LOG:  00000: logger shutting down
>>     LOCATION:  SysLoggerMain, syslogger.c:361
>
> I should have twigged to that before --- if you're running the syslogger,
> then nothing except very early startup messages is going to go to
> stderr.  Look in wherever you told it to put the log output.

i thought i was, in that the startup script was 'dumping' to
/var/devlogs/postgres.log.

also, given my logging section from my conf file:

    ######################
    ## ERROR REPORTING AND LOGGING
    #
    log_destination = 'stderr'

    # relevant when logging to stderr:
    redirect_stderr = true
    log_directory = '/var/devlogs'
    log_filename = 'postgresql-%Y-%m-%d_%H%M%S.log'

    # relevant when logging to syslog:
    syslog_facility = 'LOCAL0'
    syslog_ident = 'postgres'


    client_min_messages = debug5
    log_min_messages =debug5
    log_error_verbosity = verbose
    log_min_error_statement = debug5

there's been no trace of any output to any 'postgresql-%Y-%m-%d_%H%M%S.log'
files.

while stumbling around, though, i noticed that after an un-successful startup
(i.e., no pgsql launched), there, nonetheless, WAS a pgsql pid file in my
process dir.  odd ... so i deleted it, rebooted, and - voila! pgsql is up &
running ... and there are now dated log files, as well.

despite being able to start/stop pgsql from cmd line at will, *something* in my
system is not removing the pid file.

although i've seen nothing pid-related in my logs, preceding my startup file
launch cmd with a pid check/delete:

   if [ -f /var/run/postgresql.pid ]; then
       rm -rf /var/run/postgresql.pid
   fi
   (launch cmd)

seems to have done the trick.  i can now reboot w/ pgsql launch on start
without fail.

so,

(a) i'll now hunt-n-destroy why i'm having a lingering pid file lying around,
and why a restart-launch chokes on an existing pid, but not a cmd-line launch?
(b) i might suggest that such a check be placed in the example startup script
for safety's sake ... although you'd have to check for the defined pid
path+file, of course.

thx! for your guidance =)

cheers,

richard