Re: Bug #548: Misleading documentation of `palloc'

pgsql-bugs@postgresql.org writes:
> I propose to make the documentation more concise in this point and to
> add a macro like:

> #define palloc_tx(sz)  MemoryContextAlloc(TopTransactionContext, (sz))

I don't think it's a good idea to encourage people to allocate in
TopTransactionContext as a substitute for thought.  One of the main
reasons for developing the memory context mechanism was to get rid
of transaction-duration memory leaks.  People who want to allocate
storage that will outlive a single function call need to think about
exactly how long it needs to live and when/where/how it will be
released.

I agree that the particular paragraph you identified is oversimplified,
but the right thing is to fix the documentation not add another layer
of oversimplification.

            regards, tom lane