11<!--
2- $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/ref/Attic/ipcclean.sgml,v 1.4 2001/09/03 12:57:50 petere Exp $
2+ $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/ref/Attic/ipcclean.sgml,v 1.5 2001/09/04 00:22:34 petere Exp $
33Postgres documentation
44-->
55
@@ -28,35 +28,36 @@ Postgres documentation
2828 <refsect1 id="R1-APP-IPCCLEAN-1">
2929 <title>Description</title>
3030 <para>
31- <application>ipcclean</application>
32- cleans up shared memory and semaphore space from aborted backends by
33- deleting all instances owned by user <literal>postgres</literal>.
34- Only the DBA
35- should execute this program as it can cause bizarre behavior (i.e.,
36- crashes) if run during multi-user execution. This program should be
37- executed if messages such as
38-
39- <computeroutput>
40- semget: No space left on device
41- </computeroutput>
42-
43- are encountered when starting up the
44- <application>postmaster</application> or the backend server.
31+ <command>ipcclean</command> removes all shared memory segments and
32+ semaphore sets owned by the current user. It is intended to be
33+ used for cleaning up after a crashed
34+ <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> server (<xref
35+ linkend="app-postmaster">). Note that immediately restarting the
36+ server will also clean up shared memory and semaphores, so this
37+ command is of little real utility.
4538 </para>
4639
4740 <para>
48- If this command is executed while <application>postmaster</application>
49- is running, the shared memory and semaphores allocated by the
50- <application>postmaster</application>
51- will be deleted. This will result in a general failure of the
52- backend servers started by that
41+ Only the database administrator should execute this program as it
42+ can cause bizarre behavior (i.e., crashes) if run during multiuser
43+ execution. If this command is executed while a
44+ <application>postmaster</application> is running, the shared memory
45+ and semaphores allocated by the
46+ <application>postmaster</application> will be deleted. This will
47+ result in a general failure of the backend servers started by that
5348 <application>postmaster</application>.
5449 </para>
50+ </refsect1>
51+
52+ <refsect1>
53+ <title>Notes</title>
5554
5655 <para>
57- This script is a hack, but in the many years since it was written, no
58- one has come up with an equally effective and portable solution.
59- Suggestions are welcome.
56+ This script is a hack, but in the many years since it was written,
57+ no one has come up with an equally effective and portable solution.
58+ Since the <application>postmaster</application> can now clean up by
59+ itself, it is unlikely that <command>ipcclean</command> will be
60+ improved upon in the future.
6061 </para>
6162
6263 <para>
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ semget: No space left on device
6667 Therefore, it may not work on your particular OS.
6768 </para>
6869 </refsect1>
70+
6971</refentry>
7072
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