This report was submitted as a Debian bug.

-----Forwarded Message-----

From: russell@coker.com.au
To: submit@bugs.debian.org
Subject: Bug#149056: postgresql: should not try in a busy loop when allocating resources
Date: 04 Jun 2002 23:06:35 +0200

Package: postgresql
Version: N/A
Severity: normal

When trying to create a semaphore Postgresql 7.2.1-3 will try 400,000 times per
second if it has problems.  I think this is excessive, trying a mere 100 times
a second will give the same chance of getting a good result without wasting
excessive CPU time.

NB  If another process which is CPU bound is using all the resources then
leaving CPU time free will improve the results...

-- System Information
Debian Release: 3.0
Kernel Version: Linux lyta 2.4.18lsm #1 Wed May 22 14:20:37 CEST 2002 i686 unknown

-----End of Forwarded Message-----

-- 
Oliver Elphick                                Oliver.Elphick@lfix.co.uk
Isle of Wight                              http://www.lfix.co.uk/oliver
GPG: 1024D/3E1D0C1C: CA12 09E0 E8D5 8870 5839  932A 614D 4C34 3E1D 0C1C

     "But without faith it is impossible to please him; for 
      he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and 
      that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek 
      him."       Hebrews 11:6
04 Jun 2002 22:34:38 +0100
Oliver Elphick <olly@lfix.co.uk>
[Fwd: Bug#149056: postgresql: should not try in a busy loop when
	allocating resources]
Oliver Elphick <olly@lfix.co.uk> forwards:
> When trying to create a semaphore Postgresql 7.2.1-3 will try 400,000 times=
>  per
> second if it has problems.

AFAICS it will try *once* and abort if it fails.  Can you provide a
reproducible test case for the above behavior?

			regards, tom lane

Sat, 08 Jun 2002 22:03:33 -0400
Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>
Re: [Fwd: Bug#149056: postgresql: should not try in a busy loop when
	allocating resources]
Tom Lane wrote:
> Oliver Elphick <olly@lfix.co.uk> forwards:
> > When trying to create a semaphore Postgresql 7.2.1-3 will try 400,000 times=
> >  per
> > second if it has problems.
> 
> AFAICS it will try *once* and abort if it fails.  Can you provide a
> reproducible test case for the above behavior?

I assume he meant tries to grab a semaphore 400,000 times, but I may be wrong.

-- 
  Bruce Momjian                        |  http://candle.pha.pa.us
  pgman@candle.pha.pa.us               |  (610) 853-3000
  +  If your life is a hard drive,     |  830 Blythe Avenue
  +  Christ can be your backup.        |  Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania 19026

Sat, 8 Jun 2002 22:09:52 -0400 (EDT)
Bruce Momjian <pgman@candle.pha.pa.us>
Re: [Fwd: Bug#149056: postgresql: should not try in a busy
Bruce Momjian <pgman@candle.pha.pa.us> writes:
> I assume he meant tries to grab a semaphore 400,000 times, but I may
> be wrong.

I don't believe that would happen either ...

			regards, tom lane

Sat, 08 Jun 2002 22:21:09 -0400
Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>
Re: [Fwd: Bug#149056: postgresql: should not try in a busy 