Message-ID: <3A2FB3E1.373766F8@alumni.caltech.edu>
Date: Thu, 07 Dec 2000 15:59:29 +0000
From: Thomas Lockhart <lockhart@alumni.caltech.edu>
Organization: Yes
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To: Ivan =?iso-8859-1?Q?Hern=E1ndez?= <ivanx@abulafia.fciencias.unam.mx>,
	Hackers List <pgsql-hackers@postgresql.org>
Cc: pgsql-docs@postgresql.org
Subject: Re: organization file
References: <lo66kwwu4w.fsf@abulafia.fciencias.unam.mx>
	<3A2FABD5.19E279BA@alumni.caltech.edu>
	<loofyoyzn9.fsf@abulafia.fciencias.unam.mx>
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> hi, yes a was talking about the first: the file format of tables. I was
> reading about diferent file organizations (structures): sequential, heal,
> ring, multi ring, etc...

afaik most of the files are sequential in nature, with some record
updates happening in the middle to mark records as "obsolete". So data
is added on to the end, which is why running VACUUM is so important.

> I look for some info in the documentation but i
> didn't find nothing, also i'm interested about the recovery system of
> postgresql.... i hope that you can give me some hints about where i can
> look for it....

In previous releases, since all files are written sequentially the
recovery system is very simple. For the upcoming 7.1 release with WAL,
there is likely more done, but I'm not familiar with the details.

Somebody want to write a (short) description? I'll include it in the
docs...

                     - Thomas