On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 6:47 PM, Christoph Berg <c...@df7cb.de> wrote: > Re: Amit Kapila 2014-06-25 < caa4ek1log98jvfov9wztqpcdewja+5jr54ttpkiz3xbngjy...@mail.gmail.com> > > This will happen without Alter System as well, if you change > > the value of port in postgresql.conf and try to load conf file with SIGHUP. > > You cannot reload PGC_POSTMASTER parameters without server restart. > > That's not the issue. I did restart the server, which didn't log any > problems, yet reload keeps complaining indefinitely. This makes ALTER > SYSTEM not-so-nice-to-use to override parameters already set in > postgresql.conf.
The main reason behind such such a behaviour after restart is that there are duplicate entries, one in postgresql.conf and another in postgresql.conf. It always first read postgresql.conf and then .auto file and applies the changed parameters one by one, so when it reads a different value than current setting, it can lead to such messages. During processing of config files it doesn't try to eliminate duplicate entries. You can observe same behaviour incase you have another conf file (special.conf, containing conflicting settings) and include that in postgresql.conf. One way could be that while processing if we could eliminate duplicate entries, then it will not lead to such messages, but I think that is existing mechanism and not introduced by Alter System, so changing just for Alter System might impact some existing users. I think maintaining values both in postgresql.conf and by Alter System is not advisable. I am not sure if this addresses your concern completely, but I thinking changing some existing mechanism (maintaining duplicate entries during processing of config files) at this point might be risky. With Regards, Amit Kapila. EnterpriseDB: http://www.enterprisedb.com