> On Nov 10, 2025, at 18:41, BharatDB <bharatdbpg@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Dear PostgreSQL Community,
> I found 8 Bugs in `shell_archive.c`
>
> While studying how `archive_command` works, I discovered **8 real issues** that affect reliability, performance, and
safety:
> | # | Bug | Impact | |---|-----|--------| | 1 | Infinite loop on command failure | Archiver hangs forever | | 2 |
Unreachablecode after `return` | Dead logic | | 3 | Discarded `stdout` from archive command | `DROP DATABASE` hangs for
fullcommand duration | | 4 | Aggressive polling with `Sleep(100)` | CPU waste (already fixed in core) | | 5 |
`malloc`/`free`in backend | **Memory corruption risk** | | 6 | Poor variable names (`dwRc`, `bytesRead`) | Hard to read
|| 7 | Manual `popen` / `CreateProcess` | Missed PG infrastructure | | 8 | Redundant `return;` in `void` function |
Styleissue |
> I refactored `src/backend/archive/shell_archive.c` with **PostgreSQL-style fixes**:
> - Replaced `popen()` and `CreateProcess()` → `OpenPipeStream()` - Used `fileno(archiveFile)` → `archiveFd` correctly
-Switched to `palloc()` / `pfree()` for memory safety - Renamed variables: `dwRc` → `exit_code`, `bytesRead` → `nread`,
etc.- Read `stdout` to prevent `DROP DATABASE` hangs - Used `WaitLatchOrSocket()` for interruptible waiting - Removed
redundant`return;` and dead code This is my contribution to improve the PostgreSQL archiver process. I have attached a
patchimplementing the discussed fixes — please review and share any suggestions or feedback. Thanks !
> Lakshmi
>
Thanks for the patch, but I just cannot pass build in my end:
```
gcc -Wall -Wmissing-prototypes -Wpointer-arith -Wdeclaration-after-statement -Werror=vla
-Werror=unguarded-availability-new-Wendif-labels -Wmissing-format-attribute -Wcast-function-type -Wformat-security
-Wmissing-variable-declarations-fno-strict-aliasing -fwrapv -fexcess-precision=standard
-Wno-unused-command-line-argument-Wno-compound-token-split-by-macro -Wno-format-truncation
-Wno-cast-function-type-strict-g -O2 -I../../../src/include -isysroot
/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/SDKs/MacOSX15.5.sdk -I/opt/homebrew/Cellar/icu4c@77/77.1/include -c -o
shell_archive.oshell_archive.c -MMD -MP -MF .deps/shell_archive.Po
shell_archive.c:19:10: fatal error: 'latch.h' file not found
19 | #include "latch.h" /* For WaitLatchOrSocket */
| ^~~~~~~~~
1 error generated.
make[3]: *** [shell_archive.o] Error 1
make[2]: *** [archive-recursive] Error 2
make[1]: *** [all-backend-recurse] Error 2
make: *** [all-src-recurse] Error 2
```
Also, as a general comment, you need do pgident on the file you changed.
Best regards,
--
Chao Li (Evan)
HighGo Software Co., Ltd.
https://www.highgo.com/
