Re: pg_resetwal: Fix wrong directory in log output

Chao Li <li.evan.chao@gmail.com>

From: Chao Li <li.evan.chao@gmail.com>
To: Tianchen Zhang <zhang_tian_chen@163.com>
Cc: "pgsql-hackers@lists.postgresql.org" <pgsql-hackers@lists.postgresql.org>
Date: 2026-02-03T06:28:22Z
Lists: pgsql-hackers

> On Feb 3, 2026, at 14:16, Tianchen Zhang <zhang_tian_chen@163.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> At 2026-02-03 10:13:53, "Chao Li" <li.evan.chao@gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>>> On Feb 3, 2026, at 09:58, zhang_tian_chen@163.com wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hi hackers,
>>> 
>>> There is a misuse of macro when we output directory information in KillExistingWALSummaries(), pg_resetwal.c. Which should be WALSUMMARYDIR instead of ARCHSTATDIR.
>>> 
>>> Best regards,
>>> Tianchen Zhang<v1-0001-Fix-incorrect-directory-macro-in-KillExistingWALS.patch>
>> 
>> Indeed a bug. Looking at the code:
>> 
>> ```
>> /*
>> * Remove existing WAL summary files
>> */
>> static void
>> KillExistingWALSummaries(void)
>> {
>> DIR   *xldir;
>> 
>> xldir = opendir(WALSUMMARYDIR);
>> if (xldir == NULL)
>> pg_fatal("could not open directory \"%s\": %m", WALSUMMARYDIR);
>>       ...
>> 
>> if (errno)
>> pg_fatal("could not read directory \"%s\": %m", WALSUMMARYDIR);
>> 
>> if (closedir(xldir))
>> pg_fatal("could not close directory \"%s\": %m", ARCHSTATDIR); <<=== It should really be WALSUMMARYDIR
>> }
>> ```
>> 
>> I guess closedir() is hard to fail, that’s why the problem has not been noticed earlier.
>> 
>> The patch is straightforward and looks correct.
>> 
>> Best regards,
>> --
>> Chao Li (Evan)
>> HighGo Software Co., Ltd.
>> https://www.highgo.com/
>> 
>> 
> 
> As the discussion above, I've updated the patch to v2 that also undefines the function-scoped marco at the end of corresponding fuctions.
> 
> Best regards,
> Tianchen Zhang
> <v2-0001-Fix-incorrect-directory-macro-in-KillExistingWALS.patch>

Thanks for updating the patch.

I applied v2 locally and the build passed. I also tried to revert to the wrong macro, now the compiler caught the mistake:
```
pg_resetwal.c:1116:52: error: use of undeclared identifier 'ARCHSTATDIR'
 1116 |                 pg_fatal("could not close directory \"%s\": %m", ARCHSTATDIR);
      |                                                                  ^
1 error generated.
make[3]: *** [pg_resetwal.o] Error 1
```

Best regards,
--
Chao Li (Evan)
HighGo Software Co., Ltd.
https://www.highgo.com/







Commits

  1. pg_resetwal: Fix incorrect error message related to pg_wal/summaries/