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Date: Thu, 4 Jun 2026 16:12:26 -0400
From: Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us>
To: Daniel Gustafsson <daniel@yesql.se>
Cc: PostgreSQL-documentation <pgsql-docs@lists.postgresql.org>
Subject: Re: pg_checksums docs mentioning online functions
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On Thu, Jun  4, 2026 at 09:18:34PM +0200, Daniel Gustafsson wrote:
> > On 4 Jun 2026, at 20:55, Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us> wrote:
> > 
> > Looking at the pg_checksums docs, it says:
> > 
> > pg_checksums checks, enables or disables data checksums in a
> > PostgreSQL cluster. The server must be shut down cleanly before
> > running pg_checksums.
> > 
> > Do we want to mention the new functions here that can change the
> > checksum status without being shut down?
> 
> Not sure, but perhaps a link back to the main data checksums section (which
> documents the online operation among other things) would be in order?
> Something like:
> 
> --- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/pg_checksums.sgml
> +++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/pg_checksums.sgml
> @@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ PostgreSQL documentation
>     rewritten in-place.
>     Disabling checksums only updates the file <filename>pg_control</filename>.
>    </para>
> +
> +  <para>
> +   For more information on data checksums, see <xref linkend="checksums"/>.
> +  </para>
>   </refsect1>

My big issue is that we explain the limitation of pg_checksums, but
don't point readers at the tool that doesn't have that offline
restriction.  I think we need that explicitly mentioned, and at the top.

-- 
  Bruce Momjian  <bruce@momjian.us>        https://momjian.us
  EDB                                      https://enterprisedb.com

  Do not let urgent matters crowd out time for investment in the future.