Re: TransactionXmin != MyProc->xmin - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

From Heikki Linnakangas
Subject Re: TransactionXmin != MyProc->xmin
Date
Msg-id db81348e-6889-44ec-9fc5-24837345dd2d@iki.fi
Whole thread Raw
In response to Re: TransactionXmin != MyProc->xmin  (Andres Freund <andres@anarazel.de>)
Responses Re: TransactionXmin != MyProc->xmin
List pgsql-hackers
On 12/12/2024 21:57, Andres Freund wrote:
> On 2024-12-12 20:16:39 +0200, Heikki Linnakangas wrote:
>> A straightforward fix is to ensure that TransactionXmin is updated whenever
>> MyProc->xmin is:
>>
>> diff --git a/src/backend/utils/time/snapmgr.c
>> b/src/backend/utils/time/snapmgr.c
>> index a1a0c2adeb6..f59830abd21 100644
>> --- a/src/backend/utils/time/snapmgr.c
>> +++ b/src/backend/utils/time/snapmgr.c
>> @@ -883,7 +883,7 @@ SnapshotResetXmin(void)
>>                                           pairingheap_first(&RegisteredSnapshots));
>>
>>       if (TransactionIdPrecedes(MyProc->xmin, minSnapshot->xmin))
>> -        MyProc->xmin = minSnapshot->xmin;
>> +        MyProc->xmin = TransactionXmin = minSnapshot->xmin;
>>   }
>>
>>   /*
>>
>> Anyone see a reason not to do that?
> 
> Seems to make sense.
> 
> But shouldn't we reset TransactionXmin in the pairingheap_is_empty() case as
> well?

Yes, good catch.

> Perhaps we should have some assertions ensuring TransactionXmin has a valid
> value in some places?

+1, wouldn't hurt.

>> There are a two other places where we set MyProc->xmin without updating
>> TransactionXmin:
>>
>> 1. In ProcessStandbyHSFeedbackMessage(). AFAICS that's OK because walsender
>> doesn't use TransactionXmin for anything.
> 
> It's worth noting that a walsender connection can do normal query processing
> these days if connected to a database....
> 
> 
>> 2. In SnapBuildInitialSnapshot(). I suppose that's also OK because the
>> TransactionXmin isn't used. I don't quite remember when that function might
>> be called though.
> 
> It's used to export a snapshot after creating a logical slot. The snapshot can
> be used to sync the existing data, before starting to apply future changes.
> 
> I don't see a need to modify TransactionXmin here, it's not a normal snapshot,
> and as a comment in the function says, we rely on the slot's xmin to protect
> against relevant rows being removed.
> 
>> In any case, I propose that we set TransactionXmin in all of those cases as
>> well, so that TransactionXmin is always the equal to MyProc->xmin. Maybe
>> even rename it to MyProcXmin to make that more clear.
> 
> I'm not sure it's really right to do that. If we don't hold a snapshot, what
> makes sure that we then call SnapshotResetXmin() or such to reset
> TransactionXmin?

I don't understand. What I was meant is that we make it a strict rule 
that whenever you change MyProc->xmin, you always update TransactionXmin 
too, so that TransactionXmin == MyProc->xmin is always true.

-- 
Heikki Linnakangas
Neon (https://neon.tech)




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