Re: RelationCreateStorage can orphan files

On Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 10:32 PM, Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us> wrote:
> Robert Haas <robertmhaas@gmail.com> writes:
>> On Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 9:16 PM, Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us> wrote:
>>> That design is intentional.  If the file create fails, and you've
>>> already written a WAL record that says you created it, you are flat
>>> out screwed.  You can't even PANIC --- if you do, then the replay of
>>> the WAL record will likely fail and PANIC again, leaving the database
>>> dead in the water.
>
>> Not that this is perhaps more than of academic interest, but could you
>> get around this problem by making the replay of the XLOG record defer
>> the creation of the file until such time as it's actually written to
>> or the creating XID commits?  And also, if the XID does not commit,
>> going back and trying to remove the file (on a best effort basis)?
>
> Perhaps, but it seems like a lot more complexity than is justified
> by the problem.

That's sort of what I figured.

--
Robert Haas
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