commit f77b42a4d01ba59017e01d30c145eb4a78f83565
Author: David G. Johnston <david.g.johnston@gmail.com>
Date:   Mon Nov 2 15:55:39 2020 +0000

    Clarify the signal functions have no feedback
    
    Bug# 16652 complains that the definition of success for pg_reload_conf
    doesn't include the outcome of actually reloading the configuration
    files.  While this is a fairly easy gap to cross given knowledge of
    signals, being more explicit here doesn't hurt.
    
    Additionally, because of the special nature of pg_reload_conf, add
    links to the various locations where information related to the
    success or failure of a reload can be found.

diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml
index bf6004f321..43bc2cf086 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml
@@ -23892,7 +23892,8 @@ SELECT collation for ('foo' COLLATE "de_DE");
 
    <para>
     The functions shown in <xref
-    linkend="functions-admin-signal-table"/> send control signals to
+    linkend="functions-admin-signal-table"/> send uni-directional
+    control signals to
     other server processes.  Use of these functions is restricted to
     superusers by default but access may be granted to others using
     <command>GRANT</command>, with noted exceptions.
@@ -23900,7 +23901,8 @@ SELECT collation for ('foo' COLLATE "de_DE");
 
    <para>
     Each of these functions returns <literal>true</literal> if
-    successful and <literal>false</literal> otherwise.
+    the signal was successfully sent and <literal>false</literal>
+    if the sending of the signal failed.
    </para>
 
    <table id="functions-admin-signal-table">
@@ -23948,7 +23950,11 @@ SELECT collation for ('foo' COLLATE "de_DE");
         server to reload their configuration files.  (This is initiated by
         sending a <systemitem>SIGHUP</systemitem> signal to the postmaster
         process, which in turn sends <systemitem>SIGHUP</systemitem> to each
-        of its children.)
+        of its children.)  Inspection of the relevant
+        <link linkend="view-pg-file-settings">pg_file_settings</link>
+        or
+        <link linkend="view-pg-hba-file-rules">pg_hba_file_rules</link> views
+        is recommended after making changes but before signaling the server.
        </para></entry>
       </row>