Re: Big 7.1 open items

Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>

From: Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>
To: Bruce Momjian <pgman@candle.pha.pa.us>
Cc: Hiroshi Inoue <Inoue@tpf.co.jp>, Peter Eisentraut <peter_e@gmx.net>, Jan Wieck <JanWieck@Yahoo.com>, Bruce Momjian <maillist@candle.pha.pa.us>, PostgreSQL-development <pgsql-hackers@postgresql.org>, "Ross J. Reedstrom" <reedstrm@rice.edu>
Date: 2000-06-21T04:06:42Z
Lists: pgsql-hackers
Bruce Momjian <pgman@candle.pha.pa.us> writes:
> I recommend making a dbname in each directory, then putting the
> location inside there.

This still seems backwards to me.  Why is it better than tablespace
directory inside database directory?

One significant problem with it is that there's no longer (AFAICS)
a "default" per-database directory that corresponds to the current
working directory of backends running in that database.  Thus,
for example, it's not immediately clear where temporary files and
backend core-dump files will end up.  Also, you've just added an
essential extra level (if not two) to the pathnames that backends will
use to address files.

There is a great deal to be said for
	..../database/tablespace/filename
where .../database/ is the working directory of a backend running in
that database, so that the relative pathname used by that backend to
get to a table is just tablespace/filename.  I fail to see any advantage
in reversing the pathname order.  If you see one, enlighten me.

			regards, tom lane