Re: BUG #6664: Postgres server process does not come up in foreground and parent process is set to init ( PID 1 )

The following bug has been logged on the website:

Bug reference: 6664
Logged by: Karthik Ananth
Email address: karthik(dot)jcecs(at)gmail(dot)com
PostgreSQL version: 9.0.7
Operating system: Freebsd 8.2, Freebsd 7.2
Description:

As per the documentation by default postgres server should run in
foreground. I am referring to this link -
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.0/static/server-start.html

But what I have observed is, it is not happening and the command returns
immediately. Below is the transcript -

c670e04:rkananth 16] /usr/local/bin/postgres --version
postgres (PostgreSQL) 9.0.7

c670e04:rkananth 11] postgres -D /data/db/postgres
c670e04:rkananth 12] ps -A | grep post
65165 ?? Ss 0:00.01 /usr/local/bin/postgres
65167 ?? Ss 0:00.00 postgres: writer process (postgres)
65168 ?? Ss 0:00.00 postgres: wal writer process (postgres)
65169 ?? Ss 0:00.00 postgres: autovacuum launcher process
(postgres)
65170 ?? Ss 0:00.00 postgres: stats collector process (postgres)
65224 0 S+ 0:00.00 grep post

c670e04:rkananth 14] ps -p 65165 -o ppid
PPID
1

c670e04:rkananth 15] ps 1
PID TT STAT TIME COMMAND
1 ?? SLs 0:00.17 /sbin/init --

Further information:
Also found in v8.3.7
Not found in v7.4.2
( Same OS )

I would be happy to provide further information if required.

karthik(dot)jcecs(at)gmail(dot)com writes:
> As per the documentation by default postgres server should run in
> foreground. I am referring to this link -
> http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.0/static/server-start.html
> But what I have observed is, it is not happening and the command returns
> immediately. Below is the transcript -

Is it possible you've got silent_mode enabled in postgresql.conf?
That's the only thing I can think of that would make it do that.

regards, tom lane

Hi Tom,

You are right. That worked. I feel it is a documentation bug as with the
default settings, executing the provided command would not start the server
in foreground mode.

The default setting for silent_mode is on is what I have seen.

Regards
Karthik

On Thu, May 24, 2012 at 7:46 PM, Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us> wrote:

> karthik(dot)jcecs(at)gmail(dot)com writes:
> > As per the documentation by default postgres server should run in
> > foreground. I am referring to this link -
> > http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.0/static/server-start.html
> > But what I have observed is, it is not happening and the command returns
> > immediately. Below is the transcript -
>
> Is it possible you've got silent_mode enabled in postgresql.conf?
> That's the only thing I can think of that would make it do that.
>
> regards, tom lane
>

karthik ananth <karthik(dot)jcecs(at)gmail(dot)com> writes:
> Hi Tom,
> You are right. That worked. I feel it is a documentation bug as with the
> default settings, executing the provided command would not start the server
> in foreground mode.

> The default setting for silent_mode is on is what I have seen.

No, that has certainly never been the default.

FWIW, we removed that setting entirely as of 9.2.

regards, tom lane

The default postgres.conf created would have this setting set to "on". I
used the freebsd port to install.

Regards
Karthik

On Fri, May 25, 2012 at 12:18 AM, Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us> wrote:

> karthik ananth <karthik(dot)jcecs(at)gmail(dot)com> writes:
> > Hi Tom,
> > You are right. That worked. I feel it is a documentation bug as with the
> > default settings, executing the provided command would not start the
> server
> > in foreground mode.
>
> > The default setting for silent_mode is on is what I have seen.
>
> No, that has certainly never been the default.
>
> FWIW, we removed that setting entirely as of 9.2.
>
> regards, tom lane
>

karthik ananth <karthik(dot)jcecs(at)gmail(dot)com> writes:
> The default postgres.conf created would have this setting set to "on". I
> used the freebsd port to install.

Hmm. That's certainly not the case in stock Postgres, so I suppose the
freebsd packager must be patching it for some reason. Perhaps the start
script he's using depends on it (if so, he's going to have some work to
do when 9.2 hits).

regards, tom lane