Thread: Route to backend

Is there currently any way to change variables in a running server?

-----Original Message-----
From: pgsql-novice-owner@postgresql.org [mailto:pgsql-novice-owner@postgresql.org]On Behalf Of Ted Rolle
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2005 10:11 AM
To: pgsql-novice
Subject: [NOVICE] Route to backend

Is there currently any way to change variables in a running server?

On Fri, Oct 28, 2005 at 10:10:49AM -0400, Ted Rolle wrote:
> Is there currently any way to change variables in a running server?

What variables?  If you mean the server's configuration settings
then you can use SET, although not for all settings -- some can
only be set at server start time.  If that's not what you mean then
please explain what you're trying to do.

--
Michael Fuhr

[Please copy the mailing list on replies.]

On Fri, Oct 28, 2005 at 05:14:45PM -0400, Ted Rolle wrote:
> I'm a wannabe [PGSQL-HACKER] and I like to dink around with internals
> without resorting to gdb (I'm currently on a Windows XP system).

Pgsql-novice is hardly the place to ask about hacking the backend :-)
Such questions are usually welcome on pgsql-hackers, but at least
do some homework before asking there and have some idea of what
you're trying to accomplish.  You could start by reading the technical
documentation and the material at the developers web site.

http://www.postgresql.org/developer/
http://techdocs.postgresql.org/

> In an embarassingly long career as a programmer I've found that you have to
> get your hands dirty.
>
> Then there is the possibility that I don't know enough to do this or how
> dangerous it is.

If you don't know whether you know enough then you probably don't, and
if you're not sure if something is dangerous then it probably is :-)

The developers usually recommend that hacker-wannabes pick one of
the easier items on the TODO list and work on implementing it --
that way you have a real goal to work toward and the end result of
your learning process might provide some benefit to the rest of the
community.  If you're not sure what TODO items would be easy then
ask on pgsql-hackers.  Once you pick something tell pgsql-hackers
what you're working on so they can provide guidance and avoid
duplicating the work.

--
Michael Fuhr