Re: PG 17 and GUC variables

On 04/08/2024 06:29, Robert Treat wrote:
> I was looking at trace_connection_negotiation and ran across this
> commit removing it's mention from the release notes because it is
> undocumented:
https://git.postgresql.org/gitweb/?p=postgresql.git;a=commitdiff;h=95cabf542f04b634303f899600ea62fb256a08c2
> 
> Why is the right solution to remove it from the release notes rather
> than to document it properly? It's not like people won't notice a new
> GUC has popped up in their configs. Also, presumaing I'm unerstanding
> it's purpose correctly, ISTM it would fit along side other trace_*
> gucs in https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/runtime-config-developer.html#RUNTIME-CONFIG-DEVELOPER.

Not sure whether it's worth mentioning in release notes, but I think 
you're right that it should be listed in that docs section. How about 
the attached description?

I see that there are two more developer-only GUCs that are not listed in 
the docs:

trace_syncscan
optimize_bounded_sort

There's a comment on them that says "/* this is undocumented because not 
exposed in a standard build */", but that seems like a weak reason, 
given that many of the other options in that docs section also require 
additional build-time options. I think we should add those to the docs 
too for the sake of completeness.

-- 
Heikki Linnakangas
Neon (https://neon.tech)