Received: from magus.postgresql.org (magus.postgresql.org [87.238.57.229]) by mail.postgresql.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3F8F6CE4CDF for ; Fri, 11 May 2012 00:05:49 -0300 (ADT) Received: from sss.pgh.pa.us ([66.207.139.130]) by magus.postgresql.org with esmtp (Exim 4.72) (envelope-from ) id 1SSgAs-0004Py-FF for pgsql-docs@postgresql.org; Fri, 11 May 2012 03:05:48 +0000 Received: from sss2.sss.pgh.pa.us (tgl@localhost [127.0.0.1]) by sss.pgh.pa.us (8.14.2/8.14.2) with ESMTP id q4B35Xpq020002; Thu, 10 May 2012 23:05:33 -0400 (EDT) To: Josh Kupershmidt cc: pgsql-docs Subject: Re: Confusing section of 'Setting Parameters' In-reply-to: References: Comments: In-reply-to Josh Kupershmidt message dated "Mon, 07 May 2012 17:29:35 -0700" Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 23:05:32 -0400 Message-ID: <20001.1336705532@sss.pgh.pa.us> From: Tom Lane X-Pg-Spam-Score: -1.9 (-) X-Archive-Number: 201205/10 X-Sequence-Number: 7335 Josh Kupershmidt writes: > This bit of "Section 18.1. Setting Parameters"[1] is highly confusing: Yeah, that's badly in need of editing. > Second, I think Section 18.1 as a whole could be much improved by > breaking it up into sub-sections; it seems too long and disjointed > as-is. I gave this reorganization a shot with a larger patch > (setting_parameters_subsections.diff) which includes the > include_if_exists clarification, and also breaks the page up into > three sub-sections. I think this is a good idea, but I didn't like your section division at all. I broke it up like this instead: Parameter Names and Values Setting Parameters via the Configuration File Other Ways to Set Parameters Examining Parameter Settings See what you think. > This is my preferred fix (for now -- I'll try to > send in some further explanation/consolidation of GUC contexts > relevant to that page later). Yeah, the discussion on the pg_settings page maybe should be moved here. On the other hand, this is very introductory material, so it might not be the best place for anything too detailed. regards, tom lane