Thread

1. missing documentation detail?

   The Post Office <noreply@postgresql.org> — 2025-12-17T00:45:14Z

   The following documentation comment has been logged on the website:
   
   Page: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/18/app-pgverifybackup.html
   Description:
   
   I was disappointed not to find the return code information on the
   pg_verifybackup pages - I am using the utility in a script and it seems I
   cannot distinguish between an invalid or 'bad' backup and a failed run (due
   to e.g. bad path, missing manifest file) - it *seems* that either will
   simply return as 1 but I am not certain. I would like to differentiate
   between these states.
   

2. Re: missing documentation detail?

   David G. Johnston <david.g.johnston@gmail.com> — 2025-12-17T13:20:07Z

   On Tuesday, December 16, 2025, PG Doc comments form <noreply@postgresql.org>
   wrote:
   
   > The following documentation comment has been logged on the website:
   >
   > Page: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/18/app-pgverifybackup.html
   > Description:
   >
   > I was disappointed not to find the return code information on the
   > pg_verifybackup pages - I am using the utility in a script and it seems I
   > cannot distinguish between an invalid or 'bad' backup and a failed run (due
   > to e.g. bad path, missing manifest file) - it *seems* that either will
   > simply return as 1 but I am not certain. I would like to differentiate
   > between these states.
   >
   
   This isn’t a good place to request feature enhancements.  There isn’t an
   issue with the documentation - the program doesn’t provide multiple
   conditional exit codes.
   
   Post a patch to -hackers or a feature request to -general (mailing list).
   
   David J.
   

3. Re: missing documentation detail?

   Daniel Gustafsson <daniel@yesql.se> — 2025-12-17T14:06:48Z

   > On 17 Dec 2025, at 14:20, David G. Johnston <david.g.johnston@gmail.com> wrote:
   
   > This isn’t a good place to request feature enhancements.  There isn’t an issue with the documentation - the program doesn’t provide multiple conditional exit codes.
   > 
   > Post a patch to -hackers or a feature request to -general (mailing list).
   
   Absolutely right, that's the best way to propose new (or changes to) features.
   The proposed change here seems pretty reasonable and might be as simple as the
   (untested) attached, modeled around pg_amcheck.  I noticed that pg_amcheck
   doesn't document its different return values either which seems like an
   oversight.
   
   --
   Daniel Gustafsson