Subject: [PATCH v3] Introduce ternary reloptions

From: Álvaro Herrera <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2026 16:04:22 +0100

Introduce ternary reloption as a replacement for current
`vacuum_truncate` implementation. Remove the `vacuum_truncate_set`
separate flag and use TERNARY_UNSET instead.

This could also be used for other options such as `vacuum_index_cleanup`
and `buffering`, but lets get the scaffolding in first.

Discussion: https://postgr.es/m/3474141.usfYGdeWWP@thinkpad-pgpro
---
 src/backend/access/common/reloptions.c   | 137 ++++++++++++++++++-----
 src/backend/commands/vacuum.c            |   4 +-
 src/include/access/reloptions.h          |  27 ++---
 src/include/postgres.h                   |  15 +++
 src/include/utils/rel.h                  |   3 +-
 src/test/regress/expected/reloptions.out |  36 ++++++
 src/test/regress/sql/reloptions.sql      |  21 ++++
 src/tools/pgindent/typedefs.list         |   2 +
 8 files changed, 202 insertions(+), 43 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/backend/access/common/reloptions.c b/src/backend/access/common/reloptions.c
index 0b83f98ed5f..6f1f577581a 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/common/reloptions.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/common/reloptions.c
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@
  *
  * To add an option:
  *
- * (i) decide on a type (bool, integer, real, enum, string), name, default
- * value, upper and lower bounds (if applicable); for strings, consider a
- * validation routine.
+ * (i) decide on a type (bool, ternary, integer, real, enum, string), name,
+ * default value, upper and lower bounds (if applicable); for strings,
+ * consider a validation routine.
  * (ii) add a record below (or use add_<type>_reloption).
  * (iii) add it to the appropriate options struct (perhaps StdRdOptions)
  * (iv) add it to the appropriate handling routine (perhaps
@@ -147,15 +147,6 @@ static relopt_bool boolRelOpts[] =
 		},
 		false
 	},
-	{
-		{
-			"vacuum_truncate",
-			"Enables vacuum to truncate empty pages at the end of this table",
-			RELOPT_KIND_HEAP | RELOPT_KIND_TOAST,
-			ShareUpdateExclusiveLock
-		},
-		true
-	},
 	{
 		{
 			"deduplicate_items",
@@ -170,6 +161,25 @@ static relopt_bool boolRelOpts[] =
 	{{NULL}}
 };
 
+static relopt_ternary ternaryRelOpts[] =
+{
+	{
+		{
+			"vacuum_truncate",
+			"Enables vacuum to truncate empty pages at the end of this table",
+			RELOPT_KIND_HEAP | RELOPT_KIND_TOAST,
+			ShareUpdateExclusiveLock
+		},
+		TERNARY_UNSET
+	},
+	/* list terminator */
+	{
+		{
+			NULL
+		}
+	}
+};
+
 static relopt_int intRelOpts[] =
 {
 	{
@@ -609,6 +619,13 @@ initialize_reloptions(void)
 								   boolRelOpts[i].gen.lockmode));
 		j++;
 	}
+	for (i = 0; ternaryRelOpts[i].gen.name; i++)
+	{
+		Assert(DoLockModesConflict(ternaryRelOpts[i].gen.lockmode,
+								   ternaryRelOpts[i].gen.lockmode));
+		j++;
+	}
+
 	for (i = 0; intRelOpts[i].gen.name; i++)
 	{
 		Assert(DoLockModesConflict(intRelOpts[i].gen.lockmode,
@@ -649,6 +666,14 @@ initialize_reloptions(void)
 		j++;
 	}
 
+	for (i = 0; ternaryRelOpts[i].gen.name; i++)
+	{
+		relOpts[j] = &ternaryRelOpts[i].gen;
+		relOpts[j]->type = RELOPT_TYPE_TERNARY;
+		relOpts[j]->namelen = strlen(relOpts[j]->name);
+		j++;
+	}
+
 	for (i = 0; intRelOpts[i].gen.name; i++)
 	{
 		relOpts[j] = &intRelOpts[i].gen;
@@ -809,6 +834,9 @@ allocate_reloption(bits32 kinds, int type, const char *name, const char *desc,
 		case RELOPT_TYPE_BOOL:
 			size = sizeof(relopt_bool);
 			break;
+		case RELOPT_TYPE_TERNARY:
+			size = sizeof(relopt_ternary);
+			break;
 		case RELOPT_TYPE_INT:
 			size = sizeof(relopt_int);
 			break;
@@ -892,6 +920,57 @@ add_local_bool_reloption(local_relopts *relopts, const char *name,
 	add_local_reloption(relopts, (relopt_gen *) newoption, offset);
 }
 
+/*
+ * init_ternary_reloption
+ *		Allocate and initialize a new ternary reloption
+ */
+static relopt_ternary *
+init_ternary_reloption(bits32 kinds, const char *name, const char *desc,
+					   pg_ternary default_val, LOCKMODE lockmode)
+{
+	relopt_ternary *newoption;
+
+	newoption = (relopt_ternary *)
+		allocate_reloption(kinds, RELOPT_TYPE_TERNARY, name, desc, lockmode);
+	newoption->default_val = default_val;
+
+	return newoption;
+}
+
+/*
+ * add_ternary_reloption
+ *		Add a new ternary reloption
+ */
+void
+add_ternary_reloption(bits32 kinds, const char *name, const char *desc,
+					  pg_ternary default_val, LOCKMODE lockmode)
+{
+	relopt_ternary *newoption;
+
+	newoption =
+		init_ternary_reloption(kinds, name, desc, default_val, lockmode);
+
+	add_reloption((relopt_gen *) newoption);
+}
+
+/*
+ * add_local_ternary_reloption
+ *		Add a new ternary local reloption
+ *
+ * 'offset' is offset of ternary-typed field.
+ */
+void
+add_local_ternary_reloption(local_relopts *relopts, const char *name,
+							const char *desc, pg_ternary default_val,
+							int offset)
+{
+	relopt_ternary *newoption;
+
+	newoption =
+		init_ternary_reloption(RELOPT_KIND_LOCAL, name, desc, default_val, 0);
+
+	add_local_reloption(relopts, (relopt_gen *) newoption, offset);
+}
 
 /*
  * init_real_reloption
@@ -1626,6 +1705,19 @@ parse_one_reloption(relopt_value *option, char *text_str, int text_len,
 									option->gen->name, value)));
 			}
 			break;
+		case RELOPT_TYPE_TERNARY:
+			{
+				bool		b;
+
+				parsed = parse_bool(value, &b);
+				option->values.ternary_val = b ? TERNARY_TRUE : TERNARY_FALSE;
+				if (validate && !parsed)
+					ereport(ERROR,
+							(errcode(ERRCODE_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE),
+							 errmsg("invalid value for ternary option \"%s\": %s",
+									option->gen->name, value)));
+			}
+			break;
 		case RELOPT_TYPE_INT:
 			{
 				relopt_int *optint = (relopt_int *) option->gen;
@@ -1789,17 +1881,6 @@ fillRelOptions(void *rdopts, Size basesize,
 				char	   *itempos = ((char *) rdopts) + elems[j].offset;
 				char	   *string_val;
 
-				/*
-				 * If isset_offset is provided, store whether the reloption is
-				 * set there.
-				 */
-				if (elems[j].isset_offset > 0)
-				{
-					char	   *setpos = ((char *) rdopts) + elems[j].isset_offset;
-
-					*(bool *) setpos = options[i].isset;
-				}
-
 				switch (options[i].gen->type)
 				{
 					case RELOPT_TYPE_BOOL:
@@ -1807,6 +1888,11 @@ fillRelOptions(void *rdopts, Size basesize,
 							options[i].values.bool_val :
 							((relopt_bool *) options[i].gen)->default_val;
 						break;
+					case RELOPT_TYPE_TERNARY:
+						*(pg_ternary *) itempos = options[i].isset ?
+							options[i].values.ternary_val :
+							((relopt_ternary *) options[i].gen)->default_val;
+						break;
 					case RELOPT_TYPE_INT:
 						*(int *) itempos = options[i].isset ?
 							options[i].values.int_val :
@@ -1923,8 +2009,8 @@ default_reloptions(Datum reloptions, bool validate, relopt_kind kind)
 		offsetof(StdRdOptions, parallel_workers)},
 		{"vacuum_index_cleanup", RELOPT_TYPE_ENUM,
 		offsetof(StdRdOptions, vacuum_index_cleanup)},
-		{"vacuum_truncate", RELOPT_TYPE_BOOL,
-		offsetof(StdRdOptions, vacuum_truncate), offsetof(StdRdOptions, vacuum_truncate_set)},
+		{"vacuum_truncate", RELOPT_TYPE_TERNARY,
+		offsetof(StdRdOptions, vacuum_truncate)},
 		{"vacuum_max_eager_freeze_failure_rate", RELOPT_TYPE_REAL,
 		offsetof(StdRdOptions, vacuum_max_eager_freeze_failure_rate)}
 	};
@@ -2004,7 +2090,6 @@ build_local_reloptions(local_relopts *relopts, Datum options, bool validate)
 		elems[i].optname = opt->option->name;
 		elems[i].opttype = opt->option->type;
 		elems[i].offset = opt->offset;
-		elems[i].isset_offset = 0;	/* not supported for local relopts yet */
 
 		i++;
 	}
diff --git a/src/backend/commands/vacuum.c b/src/backend/commands/vacuum.c
index aa4fbec143f..696eab9bd97 100644
--- a/src/backend/commands/vacuum.c
+++ b/src/backend/commands/vacuum.c
@@ -2224,9 +2224,9 @@ vacuum_rel(Oid relid, RangeVar *relation, VacuumParams params,
 	{
 		StdRdOptions *opts = (StdRdOptions *) rel->rd_options;
 
-		if (opts && opts->vacuum_truncate_set)
+		if (opts && opts->vacuum_truncate != TERNARY_UNSET)
 		{
-			if (opts->vacuum_truncate)
+			if (opts->vacuum_truncate == TERNARY_TRUE)
 				params.truncate = VACOPTVALUE_ENABLED;
 			else
 				params.truncate = VACOPTVALUE_DISABLED;
diff --git a/src/include/access/reloptions.h b/src/include/access/reloptions.h
index 2f08e1b0cf0..dfbef2babf2 100644
--- a/src/include/access/reloptions.h
+++ b/src/include/access/reloptions.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 typedef enum relopt_type
 {
 	RELOPT_TYPE_BOOL,
+	RELOPT_TYPE_TERNARY,		/* on, off, unset */
 	RELOPT_TYPE_INT,
 	RELOPT_TYPE_REAL,
 	RELOPT_TYPE_ENUM,
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ typedef struct relopt_value
 	union
 	{
 		bool		bool_val;
+		pg_ternary	ternary_val;
 		int			int_val;
 		double		real_val;
 		int			enum_val;
@@ -94,6 +96,12 @@ typedef struct relopt_bool
 	bool		default_val;
 } relopt_bool;
 
+typedef struct relopt_ternary
+{
+	relopt_gen	gen;
+	int			default_val;
+} relopt_ternary;
+
 typedef struct relopt_int
 {
 	relopt_gen	gen;
@@ -152,19 +160,6 @@ typedef struct
 	const char *optname;		/* option's name */
 	relopt_type opttype;		/* option's datatype */
 	int			offset;			/* offset of field in result struct */
-
-	/*
-	 * isset_offset is an optional offset of a field in the result struct that
-	 * stores whether the option is explicitly set for the relation or if it
-	 * just picked up the default value.  In most cases, this can be
-	 * accomplished by giving the reloption a special out-of-range default
-	 * value (e.g., some integer reloptions use -2), but this isn't always
-	 * possible.  For example, a Boolean reloption cannot be given an
-	 * out-of-range default, so we need another way to discover the source of
-	 * its value.  This offset is only used if given a value greater than
-	 * zero.
-	 */
-	int			isset_offset;
 } relopt_parse_elt;
 
 /* Local reloption definition */
@@ -195,6 +190,9 @@ typedef struct local_relopts
 extern relopt_kind add_reloption_kind(void);
 extern void add_bool_reloption(bits32 kinds, const char *name, const char *desc,
 							   bool default_val, LOCKMODE lockmode);
+extern void add_ternary_reloption(bits32 kinds, const char *name,
+								  const char *desc, pg_ternary default_val,
+								  LOCKMODE lockmode);
 extern void add_int_reloption(bits32 kinds, const char *name, const char *desc,
 							  int default_val, int min_val, int max_val,
 							  LOCKMODE lockmode);
@@ -214,6 +212,9 @@ extern void register_reloptions_validator(local_relopts *relopts,
 extern void add_local_bool_reloption(local_relopts *relopts, const char *name,
 									 const char *desc, bool default_val,
 									 int offset);
+extern void add_local_ternary_reloption(local_relopts *relopts,
+										const char *name, const char *desc,
+										pg_ternary default_val, int offset);
 extern void add_local_int_reloption(local_relopts *relopts, const char *name,
 									const char *desc, int default_val,
 									int min_val, int max_val, int offset);
diff --git a/src/include/postgres.h b/src/include/postgres.h
index 7d93fbce709..47c88780776 100644
--- a/src/include/postgres.h
+++ b/src/include/postgres.h
@@ -543,6 +543,21 @@ Float8GetDatum(float8 X)
  * ----------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 
+/*
+ * pg_ternary
+ *		Boolean value with an extra "unset" value
+ *
+ * This enum can be used for values that want to distinguish between true,
+ * false, and unset.
+*/
+
+typedef enum pg_ternary
+{
+	TERNARY_FALSE = 0,
+	TERNARY_TRUE = 1,
+	TERNARY_UNSET = -1
+} pg_ternary;
+
 /*
  * NON_EXEC_STATIC: It's sometimes useful to define a variable or function
  * that is normally static but extern when using EXEC_BACKEND (see
diff --git a/src/include/utils/rel.h b/src/include/utils/rel.h
index d03ab247788..5feb18a5373 100644
--- a/src/include/utils/rel.h
+++ b/src/include/utils/rel.h
@@ -347,8 +347,7 @@ typedef struct StdRdOptions
 	bool		user_catalog_table; /* use as an additional catalog relation */
 	int			parallel_workers;	/* max number of parallel workers */
 	StdRdOptIndexCleanup vacuum_index_cleanup;	/* controls index vacuuming */
-	bool		vacuum_truncate;	/* enables vacuum to truncate a relation */
-	bool		vacuum_truncate_set;	/* whether vacuum_truncate is set */
+	pg_ternary		vacuum_truncate;	/* enables vacuum to truncate a relation */
 
 	/*
 	 * Fraction of pages in a relation that vacuum can eagerly scan and fail
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/reloptions.out b/src/test/regress/expected/reloptions.out
index 9de19b4e3f1..1c99f79ab01 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/reloptions.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/reloptions.out
@@ -98,6 +98,42 @@ SELECT reloptions FROM pg_class WHERE oid = 'reloptions_test'::regclass;
  {fillfactor=13,autovacuum_enabled=false}
 (1 row)
 
+-- Tests for future (FIXME) ternary options
+-- behave as boolean option: accept unassigned name and truncated value
+DROP TABLE reloptions_test;
+CREATE TABLE reloptions_test(i INT) WITH (vacuum_truncate);
+SELECT reloptions FROM pg_class WHERE oid = 'reloptions_test'::regclass;
+       reloptions       
+------------------------
+ {vacuum_truncate=true}
+(1 row)
+
+DROP TABLE reloptions_test;
+CREATE TABLE reloptions_test(i INT) WITH (vacuum_truncate=FaLS);
+SELECT reloptions FROM pg_class WHERE oid = 'reloptions_test'::regclass;
+       reloptions       
+------------------------
+ {vacuum_truncate=fals}
+(1 row)
+
+-- preferred "true" alias is used when storing
+DROP TABLE reloptions_test;
+CREATE TABLE reloptions_test(i INT) WITH (vacuum_index_cleanup=on);
+SELECT reloptions FROM pg_class WHERE oid = 'reloptions_test'::regclass;
+        reloptions         
+---------------------------
+ {vacuum_index_cleanup=on}
+(1 row)
+
+-- custom "third" value is available
+DROP TABLE reloptions_test;
+CREATE TABLE reloptions_test(i INT) WITH (vacuum_index_cleanup=auto);
+SELECT reloptions FROM pg_class WHERE oid = 'reloptions_test'::regclass;
+         reloptions          
+-----------------------------
+ {vacuum_index_cleanup=auto}
+(1 row)
+
 -- Test vacuum_truncate option
 DROP TABLE reloptions_test;
 CREATE TEMP TABLE reloptions_test(i INT NOT NULL, j text)
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/reloptions.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/reloptions.sql
index 24fbe0b478d..f5980dafcbc 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/reloptions.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/reloptions.sql
@@ -59,6 +59,27 @@ UPDATE pg_class
 ALTER TABLE reloptions_test RESET (illegal_option);
 SELECT reloptions FROM pg_class WHERE oid = 'reloptions_test'::regclass;
 
+-- Tests for future (FIXME) ternary options
+
+-- behave as boolean option: accept unassigned name and truncated value
+DROP TABLE reloptions_test;
+CREATE TABLE reloptions_test(i INT) WITH (vacuum_truncate);
+SELECT reloptions FROM pg_class WHERE oid = 'reloptions_test'::regclass;
+
+DROP TABLE reloptions_test;
+CREATE TABLE reloptions_test(i INT) WITH (vacuum_truncate=FaLS);
+SELECT reloptions FROM pg_class WHERE oid = 'reloptions_test'::regclass;
+
+-- preferred "true" alias is used when storing
+DROP TABLE reloptions_test;
+CREATE TABLE reloptions_test(i INT) WITH (vacuum_index_cleanup=on);
+SELECT reloptions FROM pg_class WHERE oid = 'reloptions_test'::regclass;
+
+-- custom "third" value is available
+DROP TABLE reloptions_test;
+CREATE TABLE reloptions_test(i INT) WITH (vacuum_index_cleanup=auto);
+SELECT reloptions FROM pg_class WHERE oid = 'reloptions_test'::regclass;
+
 -- Test vacuum_truncate option
 DROP TABLE reloptions_test;
 
diff --git a/src/tools/pgindent/typedefs.list b/src/tools/pgindent/typedefs.list
index 3f3a888fd0e..1c8610fd46c 100644
--- a/src/tools/pgindent/typedefs.list
+++ b/src/tools/pgindent/typedefs.list
@@ -3952,6 +3952,7 @@ pg_sha512_ctx
 pg_snapshot
 pg_special_case
 pg_stack_base_t
+pg_ternary
 pg_time_t
 pg_time_usec_t
 pg_tz
@@ -4079,6 +4080,7 @@ relopt_kind
 relopt_parse_elt
 relopt_real
 relopt_string
+relopt_ternary
 relopt_type
 relopt_value
 relopts_validator
-- 
2.47.3

--c36t3fndxhkzbl5z--