Thread: pl/pgsql and backend crashes

pl/pgsql and backend crashes

From
Paul Kelly
Date:
hi,
  i seem to be experienceing a problem where after updating an existing
pl/pgsql function the backend crashes. the function code is ok, if i
restart the backend and then vcaccum it usually will create the function
and work fine. if i create a new function it will usually go through quite
a few changes to the function before this problem starts to occur, its
almost as if something is filling up.

its not a great problem, more of an annoyance as i really need to have as
little downtime as possible. is there some sort of index i can recreate or
something to stop this from happening?

i really find pl/pgsql useful and hope it gets more development.

im using postgres:

PostgreSQL 6.5.0 on sparc-sun-solaris2.7, compiled by gcc egcs-2.91.60

thanks
Paul
----------------------------------------------
Paul Kelly        pkelly@virtual.org.uk
U-NET Internet Noc    Some day now!


Re: [GENERAL] pl/pgsql and backend crashes

From
"Aaron J. Seigo"
Date:
hi...

>   i seem to be experienceing a problem where after updating an existing
> pl/pgsql function the backend crashes. the function code is ok, if i
> restart the backend and then vcaccum it usually will create the function
> and work fine. if i create a new function it will usually go through quite
> a few changes to the function before this problem starts to occur, its
> almost as if something is filling up.

i've noticed the same thing. my (observational) findings have been such:

 - its worse the longer the function is (in fact, large functions drop even
when being freshly loaded)
 - too many nested for loops also causes the problem (quite severely)
- its worse the more backends are open (using the -N option in postmaster)
- doesn't seem to be affected by the number of buffers open (-B option)

some things that help:

 - dropping the function and giving the system time to "digest" this. (i.e.,
doing it from a script that doesn't pause between the dropping and the creating
often causes problems)
 - entering the function onscreen, then pausing before hitting that final
"Enter" (again, scripts/'cut 'n pastes' that don't pause here can cause
problems)
 - vacuuming after dropping a large function

i hope this helps lead the pl/pgsql developers towards the problem. =)

other'n that (and a few minor oddities) pl/pgsql is just peachy =)

--
Aaron J. Seigo
Sys Admin

postmaster respawning too fast

From
Chairudin Sentosa Harjo
Date:
Dear all,

My system is SuSE 6.2, postgresql 6.5.2 and pentium III 500.

I have a problem with postmaster respawning too fast.

I followed the installation guide of postgresql 6.5.2 in file INSTALL.
On section 21, "Run postmaster in the background from your ...",
I followed the last method.


* In RedHat Linux edit file /etc/inittab to add the floowing as a single
line:
pg:2345:respawn:/bin/su - postgres -c "/usr/local/pgsql/bin/postmaster"
-D /usr/local/pgsql/data >> /usr/local/pgsql/server.log 2>&1 <
/dev/null"



I see a lot of this messages on my /var/log/messages:

Oct 9 00:01:16 prosolv init: Id "pg" respawning too fast: disabled for 5
minutes
Oct 9 00:06:18 prosolv init: Id "pg" respawning too fast: disabled for 5
minutes
Oct 9 00:11:20 prosolv init: Id "pg" respawning too fast: disabled for 5
minutes
Oct 9 00:16:22 prosolv init: Id "pg" respawning too fast: disabled for 5
minutes

I have about 1271 messages like this until today, 13 Oct 1999.
It seems to happen every 5 minutes.
What is happening?
Could someone tell me what have I done wrong?

Regards,
Chairudin Sentosa

[GENERAL] postmaster respawning too fast

From
"Christopher A. Stewart"
Date:
Removing the `"' following postmaster should fix it..

Chairudin Sentosa Harjo writes:
 > Dear all,
 >
 > My system is SuSE 6.2, postgresql 6.5.2 and pentium III 500.
 >
 > I have a problem with postmaster respawning too fast.
 >
 > I followed the installation guide of postgresql 6.5.2 in file INSTALL.
 > On section 21, "Run postmaster in the background from your ...",
 > I followed the last method.
 >
 >
 > * In RedHat Linux edit file /etc/inittab to add the floowing as a single
 > line:
 > pg:2345:respawn:/bin/su - postgres -c "/usr/local/pgsql/bin/postmaster"
 > -D /usr/local/pgsql/data >> /usr/local/pgsql/server.log 2>&1 <
 > /dev/null"
 >
 >
 >
 > I see a lot of this messages on my /var/log/messages:
 >
 > Oct 9 00:01:16 prosolv init: Id "pg" respawning too fast: disabled for 5
 > minutes
 > Oct 9 00:06:18 prosolv init: Id "pg" respawning too fast: disabled for 5
 > minutes
 > Oct 9 00:11:20 prosolv init: Id "pg" respawning too fast: disabled for 5
 > minutes
 > Oct 9 00:16:22 prosolv init: Id "pg" respawning too fast: disabled for 5
 > minutes
 >
 > I have about 1271 messages like this until today, 13 Oct 1999.
 > It seems to happen every 5 minutes.
 > What is happening?
 > Could someone tell me what have I done wrong?
 >
 > Regards,
 > Chairudin Sentosa
 >
 > ************

--
------------------------------------------------------------
Christopher A. Stewart
Unix and Linux Net Admin Consultant.
(206)-729-7321
(Pgp and gpg public keys can be found at
 http://www.xopheria.org/~allan/pgp.html)

Re: [GENERAL] postmaster respawning too fast

From
"Gene Selkov, Jr."
Date:
> * In RedHat Linux edit file /etc/inittab to add the floowing as a single
> line:
> pg:2345:respawn:/bin/su - postgres -c "/usr/local/pgsql/bin/postmaster"
> -D /usr/local/pgsql/data >> /usr/local/pgsql/server.log 2>&1 <
> /dev/null"

> I see a lot of this messages on my /var/log/messages:
>
> Oct 9 00:01:16 prosolv init: Id "pg" respawning too fast: disabled for 5
> minutes
> I have about 1271 messages like this until today, 13 Oct 1999.
> It seems to happen every 5 minutes.

5 minutes is the polling interval of init; "too fast" means it dies
before the next checkpoint, i.e., within less than 5 minutes from the
start.

> What is happening?
> Could someone tell me what have I done wrong?

The only way to tell is to run the entire command line from inittab
(you must su root to do it) without redirecting to /dev/null.

--Gene

(in case you didn't know, kill -HUP 1 restarts init and causes it to
re-read inittab -- which is useful if you made changes there)

Re: [GENERAL] postmaster respawning too fast

From
Chairudin Sentosa Harjo
Date:
"Gene Selkov, Jr." wrote:
>
> > * In RedHat Linux edit file /etc/inittab to add the floowing as a single
> > line:
> > pg:2345:respawn:/bin/su - postgres -c "/usr/local/pgsql/bin/postmaster"
> > -D /usr/local/pgsql/data >> /usr/local/pgsql/server.log 2>&1 <
> > /dev/null"
>
> > I see a lot of this messages on my /var/log/messages:
> >
> > Oct 9 00:01:16 prosolv init: Id "pg" respawning too fast: disabled for 5
> > minutes
> > I have about 1271 messages like this until today, 13 Oct 1999.
> > It seems to happen every 5 minutes.
>
> 5 minutes is the polling interval of init; "too fast" means it dies
> before the next checkpoint, i.e., within less than 5 minutes from the
> start.
>
> > What is happening?
> > Could someone tell me what have I done wrong?
>
> The only way to tell is to run the entire command line from inittab
> (you must su root to do it) without redirecting to /dev/null.

Do you mean to replace with this command on /etc/inittab? (no /dev/null)

pg:2345:respawn:/bin/su - postgres -c "/usr/local/pgsql/bin/postmaster
-D /usr/local/pgsql/data >> /usr/local/pgsql/server.log 2>&1"

What should I observe after I change to the above command line?

Regards,
Chai

Re: [GENERAL] postmaster respawning too fast

From
"Gene Selkov, Jr."
Date:
> Do you mean to replace with this command on /etc/inittab? (no /dev/null)
>
> pg:2345:respawn:/bin/su - postgres -c "/usr/local/pgsql/bin/postmaster
> -D /usr/local/pgsql/data >> /usr/local/pgsql/server.log 2>&1"

the command should be:

/bin/su - postgres -c "/usr/local/pgsql/bin/postmaster -D /usr/local/pgsql/data >> /usr/local/pgsql/server.log"

(also, make sure it is written on a single line in your inittab)


> What should I observe after I change to the above command line?

The error message will be sent to your terminal instead of /dev/null.

--Gene