Re: Improve logging when using Huge Pages

On Thu, Mar 09, 2023 at 03:02:29PM -0500, Stephen Frost wrote:
> * Justin Pryzby (pryzby@telsasoft.com) wrote:
> > On Thu, Mar 09, 2023 at 09:34:10AM -0500, Stephen Frost wrote:
> > > * Nathan Bossart (nathandbossart@gmail.com) wrote:
> > > > On Wed, Feb 15, 2023 at 10:13:17AM -0800, Nathan Bossart wrote:
> > > > > On Tue, Feb 14, 2023 at 07:32:56PM -0600, Justin Pryzby wrote:
> > > > >> On Mon, Feb 13, 2023 at 08:18:52PM -0800, Nathan Bossart wrote:
> > > > >>> I'm curious why you chose to make this a string instead of an enum.  There
> > > > >>> might be little practical difference, but since there are only three
> > > > >>> possible values, I wonder if it'd be better form to make it an enum.
> > > > >> 
> > > > >> It takes more code to write as an enum - see 002.txt.  I'm not convinced
> > > > >> this is better.
> > > > >> 
> > > > >> But your comment made me fix its <type>, and reconsider the strings,
> > > > >> which I changed to active={unknown/true/false} rather than {unk/on/off}.
> > > > >> It could also be active={unknown/yes/no}...
> > > > > 
> > > > > I think unknown/true/false is fine.  I'm okay with using a string if no one
> > > > > else thinks it should be an enum (or a bool).
> > > > 
> > > > There's been no response for this, so I guess we can proceed with a string
> > > > GUC.
> > > 
> > > Just happened to see this and I'm not really a fan of this being a
> > > string when it's pretty clear that's not what it actually is.
> > 
> > I don't understand what you mean by that.
> > Why do you say it isn't a string ?
> 
> Because it's clearly a yes/no, either the server is currently running
> with huge pages, or it isn't.  That's the definition of a boolean.

I originally implemented it as a boolean, and I changed it in response
to the feedback that postgres -C huge_pages_active should return
"unknown".

> > Is there an agreement to use a function, instead ?

Alvaro was -1 on using a function
Andres is +0 (?)
Nathan is +1
Stephen is +1

I'm -0.5, but I reimplemented it as a function.  I hope that helps it to
progress.  Please include a suggestion if there's better place for the
function or global var.

-- 
Justin