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Thread: BUG #5365: pg_ctl start gives error

BUG #5365: pg_ctl start gives error

From
"Savita"
Date:
The following bug has been logged online:

Bug reference:      5365
Logged by:          Savita
Email address:      savita.halli@gmail.com
PostgreSQL version: 8.3.5
Operating system:   SunOS 5.10 Generic_139555-08 sun4u sparc
SUNW,Sun-Fire-V440
Description:        pg_ctl start gives error
Details:

Hi

I have installed postgres in Solaris machine and trying to start the service
and it fails with follwoing error

FATAL:  syntax error in file "../../pgsql/data/postgresql.conf" line 107,
near token "MB"

By seeing the error I thought the problem could be with postgresql.conf
file. But I copied this file from other machine(SunOS 5.10 Generic_118833-33
sun4v sparc sun4v) where postgres start/stop works fine still gives the same
error in this box.

Is it something to do with version of SunOS?

Thanks in advance
Savita

Re: BUG #5365: pg_ctl start gives error

From
Robert Haas
Date:
On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 5:19 AM, Savita <savita.halli@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> The following bug has been logged online:
>
> Bug reference: =A0 =A0 =A05365
> Logged by: =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0Savita
> Email address: =A0 =A0 =A0savita.halli@gmail.com
> PostgreSQL version: 8.3.5
> Operating system: =A0 SunOS 5.10 Generic_139555-08 sun4u sparc
> SUNW,Sun-Fire-V440
> Description: =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0pg_ctl start gives error
> Details:
>
> Hi
>
> I have installed postgres in Solaris machine and trying to start the serv=
ice
> and it fails with follwoing error
>
> FATAL: =A0syntax error in file "../../pgsql/data/postgresql.conf" line 10=
7,
> near token "MB"
>
> By seeing the error I thought the problem could be with postgresql.conf
> file. But I copied this file from other machine(SunOS 5.10 Generic_118833=
-33
> sun4v sparc sun4v) where postgres start/stop works fine still gives the s=
ame
> error in this box.
>
> Is it something to do with version of SunOS?

I doubt it.  postgresql.conf should be parsed identically on any
platform, I would think.

...Robert

Re: BUG #5365: pg_ctl start gives error

From
Scott Mead
Date:
On Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 2:13 PM, Robert Haas <robertmhaas@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 5:19 AM, Savita <savita.halli@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > The following bug has been logged online:
> >
> > Bug reference:      5365
> > Logged by:          Savita
> > Email address:      savita.halli@gmail.com
> > PostgreSQL version: 8.3.5
> > Operating system:   SunOS 5.10 Generic_139555-08 sun4u sparc
> > SUNW,Sun-Fire-V440
> > Description:        pg_ctl start gives error
> > Details:
> >
> > Hi
> >
> > I have installed postgres in Solaris machine and trying to start the
> service
> > and it fails with follwoing error
> >
> > FATAL:  syntax error in file "../../pgsql/data/postgresql.conf" line 107,
> > near token "MB"
> >
> > By seeing the error I thought the problem could be with postgresql.conf
> > file. But I copied this file from other machine(SunOS 5.10
> Generic_118833-33
> > sun4v sparc sun4v) where postgres start/stop works fine still gives the
> same
> > error in this box.
> >
> > Is it something to do with version of SunOS?
>
> I doubt it.  postgresql.conf should be parsed identically on any
> platform, I would think.
>

I've seen this when I accidentally use the wrong pg_ctl on a data directory

 (i.e. my 8.1 pg_ctl is in the PATH and I use it to try and start an 8.3
cluster).

--Scott M

Re: BUG #5365: pg_ctl start gives error

From
Tom Lane
Date:
Robert Haas <robertmhaas@gmail.com> writes:
> On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 5:19 AM, Savita <savita.halli@gmail.com> wrote:
>> I have installed postgres in Solaris machine and trying to start the service
>> and it fails with follwoing error
>>
>> FATAL:  syntax error in file "../../pgsql/data/postgresql.conf" line 107,
>> near token "MB"

>> Is it something to do with version of SunOS?

> I doubt it.  postgresql.conf should be parsed identically on any
> platform, I would think.

The error message seems consistent with what would happen if you had, say,

    shared_buffers = 100 MB

instead of the correct

    shared_buffers = 100MB

but the former should fail the same way on any machine.

Scott Mead's suggestion of a PG version discrepancy is a possibility
though.  Old PG versions might see 100MB as two tokens, which'd give
rise to that error.

The other thing that strikes me while I'm looking at it is that a
relative path to postgresql.conf seems like a great way to shoot
yourself in the foot, because the wrong things will happen if you try to
start the postmaster from the wrong directory.  A good rule of thumb is
to always use an absolute path for -D or $PGDATA.  In this case the
relative path might be a cause of picking up the wrong config file.

            regards, tom lane