There are two ways to track a snapshot: there's the "registered" list, which
is used for arbitrary long-lived snapshots; and there's the "active stack",
which is used for the snapshot that is considered "active" at any time.
This also allows users of snapshots to stop worrying about snapshot memory
allocation and freeing, and about using PG_TRY blocks around ActiveSnapshot
assignment. This is all done automatically now.
As a consequence, this allows us to reset MyProc->xmin when there are no
more snapshots registered in the current backend, reducing the impact that
long-running transactions have on VACUUM.
snapmgmt.c file for the former. The header files have also been reorganized
in three parts: the most basic snapshot definitions are now in a new file
snapshot.h, and the also new snapmgmt.h keeps the definitions for snapmgmt.c.
tqual.h has been reduced to the bare minimum.
This patch is just a first step towards managing live snapshots within a
transaction; there is no functionality change.
Per my proposal to pgsql-patches on 20080318191940.GB27458@alvh.no-ip.org and
subsequent discussion.
Bruce Momjian
Alvaro Herrera