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PostgreSQL documentation

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<title>Notes</title>

<para>

To stop a running query use the <literal>SIGINT</literal> signal. To

tell <command>postgres</command> to reread the configuration file,

use a <literal>SIGHUP</literal> signal. The

<command>postmaster</command> uses <literal>SIGTERM</literal>

To cancel a running query, send the <literal>SIGINT</literal> signal

to the <command>postgres</command> process running that command.

</para>

<para>

To tell <command>postgres</command> to reread the configuration file,

send a <literal>SIGHUP</literal> signal. Normally it's best to

<literal>SIGHUP</literal> the <command>postmaster</command> instead;

the <command>postmaster</command> will in turn <literal>SIGHUP</literal>

each of its children. But in some cases it might be desirable to have only

one <command>postgres</command> process reread the configuration file.

</para>

<para>

The <command>postmaster</command> uses <literal>SIGTERM</literal>

to tell a <command>postgres</command> process to quit normally and

<literal>SIGQUIT</literal> to terminate without the normal cleanup.

These <emphasis>should not</emphasis> be used by users.

These signals <emphasis>should not</emphasis> be used by users. It is also

unwise to send <literal>SIGKILL</literal> to a <command>postgres</command>

process --- the <command>postmaster</command> will interpret this as

a crash in <command>postgres</command>, and will force all the sibling

<command>postgres</command> processes to quit as part of its standard

crash-recovery procedure.

</para>

</refsect1>

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PostgreSQL documentation

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<para>

If at all possible, <emphasis>do not</emphasis> use

<literal>SIGKILL</literal> to kill the

<command>postmaster</command>.This will prevent

<command>postmaster</command>.Doing so will prevent

<command>postmaster</command> from freeing the system

resources (e.g., shared memory and semaphores) that it holds before

terminating.

terminating. This may cause problems for starting a fresh

<command>postmaster</command> run.

</para>

<para>