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authorRobert Haas <rhaas@postgresql.org>2016-03-08 08:38:50 -0500
committerRobert Haas <rhaas@postgresql.org>2016-03-08 08:42:01 -0500
commitba0a198fb133eb3426bffdc2e369cce1bafe1612 (patch)
tree6011092177d22815034c6e364a499b923741aecf
parent6f56b41ac0cd7092b91834da02e70514d28b8edb (diff)
downloadpostgresql-ba0a198fb133eb3426bffdc2e369cce1bafe1612.tar.gz
postgresql-ba0a198fb133eb3426bffdc2e369cce1bafe1612.zip
Add pg_visibility contrib module.
This lets you examine the visibility map as well as page-level visibility information. I initially wrote it as a debugging aid, but was encouraged to polish it for commit. Patch by me, reviewed by Masahiko Sawada. Discussion: 56D77803.6080503@BlueTreble.com
-rw-r--r--contrib/Makefile1
-rw-r--r--contrib/pg_visibility/Makefile19
-rw-r--r--contrib/pg_visibility/pg_visibility--1.0.sql52
-rw-r--r--contrib/pg_visibility/pg_visibility.c350
-rw-r--r--contrib/pg_visibility/pg_visibility.control5
-rw-r--r--doc/src/sgml/contrib.sgml1
-rw-r--r--doc/src/sgml/filelist.sgml1
-rw-r--r--doc/src/sgml/pgvisibility.sgml110
-rw-r--r--doc/src/sgml/storage.sgml5
9 files changed, 544 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/contrib/Makefile b/contrib/Makefile
index bd251f6c668..d12dd6379b5 100644
--- a/contrib/Makefile
+++ b/contrib/Makefile
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ SUBDIRS = \
pgcrypto \
pgrowlocks \
pgstattuple \
+ pg_visibility \
postgres_fdw \
seg \
spi \
diff --git a/contrib/pg_visibility/Makefile b/contrib/pg_visibility/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fbbaa2e512b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/pg_visibility/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# contrib/pg_visibility/Makefile
+
+MODULE_big = pg_visibility
+OBJS = pg_visibility.o $(WIN32RES)
+
+EXTENSION = pg_visibility
+DATA = pg_visibility--1.0.sql
+PGFILEDESC = "pg_visibility - page visibility information"
+
+ifdef USE_PGXS
+PG_CONFIG = pg_config
+PGXS := $(shell $(PG_CONFIG) --pgxs)
+include $(PGXS)
+else
+subdir = contrib/pg_visibility
+top_builddir = ../..
+include $(top_builddir)/src/Makefile.global
+include $(top_srcdir)/contrib/contrib-global.mk
+endif
diff --git a/contrib/pg_visibility/pg_visibility--1.0.sql b/contrib/pg_visibility/pg_visibility--1.0.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..da511e5be98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/pg_visibility/pg_visibility--1.0.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/* contrib/pg_visibility/pg_visibility--1.0.sql */
+
+-- complain if script is sourced in psql, rather than via CREATE EXTENSION
+\echo Use "CREATE EXTENSION pg_visibility" to load this file. \quit
+
+-- Show visibility map information.
+CREATE FUNCTION pg_visibility_map(regclass, blkno bigint,
+ all_visible OUT boolean,
+ all_frozen OUT boolean)
+RETURNS record
+AS 'MODULE_PATHNAME', 'pg_visibility_map'
+LANGUAGE C STRICT;
+
+-- Show visibility map and page-level visibility information.
+CREATE FUNCTION pg_visibility(regclass, blkno bigint,
+ all_visible OUT boolean,
+ all_frozen OUT boolean,
+ pd_all_visible OUT boolean)
+RETURNS record
+AS 'MODULE_PATHNAME', 'pg_visibility'
+LANGUAGE C STRICT;
+
+-- Show visibility map information for each block in a relation.
+CREATE FUNCTION pg_visibility_map(regclass, blkno OUT bigint,
+ all_visible OUT boolean,
+ all_frozen OUT boolean)
+RETURNS SETOF record
+AS 'MODULE_PATHNAME', 'pg_visibility_map_rel'
+LANGUAGE C STRICT;
+
+-- Show visibility map and page-level visibility information for each block.
+CREATE FUNCTION pg_visibility(regclass, blkno OUT bigint,
+ all_visible OUT boolean,
+ all_frozen OUT boolean,
+ pd_all_visible OUT boolean)
+RETURNS SETOF record
+AS 'MODULE_PATHNAME', 'pg_visibility_rel'
+LANGUAGE C STRICT;
+
+-- Show summary of visibility map bits for a relation.
+CREATE FUNCTION pg_visibility_map_summary(regclass,
+ OUT all_visible bigint, OUT all_frozen bigint)
+RETURNS record
+AS 'MODULE_PATHNAME', 'pg_visibility_map_summary'
+LANGUAGE C STRICT;
+
+-- Don't want these to be available to public.
+REVOKE ALL ON FUNCTION pg_visibility_map(regclass, bigint) FROM PUBLIC;
+REVOKE ALL ON FUNCTION pg_visibility(regclass, bigint) FROM PUBLIC;
+REVOKE ALL ON FUNCTION pg_visibility_map(regclass) FROM PUBLIC;
+REVOKE ALL ON FUNCTION pg_visibility(regclass) FROM PUBLIC;
+REVOKE ALL ON FUNCTION pg_visibility_map_summary(regclass) FROM PUBLIC;
diff --git a/contrib/pg_visibility/pg_visibility.c b/contrib/pg_visibility/pg_visibility.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5e5c7cce244
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/pg_visibility/pg_visibility.c
@@ -0,0 +1,350 @@
+/*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ *
+ * pg_visibility.c
+ * display visibility map information and page-level visibility bits
+ *
+ * contrib/pg_visibility/pg_visibility.c
+ *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ */
+#include "postgres.h"
+
+#include "access/htup_details.h"
+#include "access/visibilitymap.h"
+#include "catalog/pg_type.h"
+#include "funcapi.h"
+#include "miscadmin.h"
+#include "storage/bufmgr.h"
+#include "utils/rel.h"
+
+PG_MODULE_MAGIC;
+
+typedef struct vbits
+{
+ BlockNumber next;
+ BlockNumber count;
+ uint8 bits[FLEXIBLE_ARRAY_MEMBER];
+} vbits;
+
+PG_FUNCTION_INFO_V1(pg_visibility_map);
+PG_FUNCTION_INFO_V1(pg_visibility_map_rel);
+PG_FUNCTION_INFO_V1(pg_visibility);
+PG_FUNCTION_INFO_V1(pg_visibility_rel);
+PG_FUNCTION_INFO_V1(pg_visibility_map_summary);
+
+static TupleDesc pg_visibility_tupdesc(bool include_blkno, bool include_pd);
+static vbits *collect_visibility_data(Oid relid, bool include_pd);
+
+/*
+ * Visibility map information for a single block of a relation.
+ */
+Datum
+pg_visibility_map(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
+{
+ Oid relid = PG_GETARG_OID(0);
+ int64 blkno = PG_GETARG_INT64(1);
+ int32 mapbits;
+ Relation rel;
+ Buffer vmbuffer = InvalidBuffer;
+ TupleDesc tupdesc;
+ Datum values[2];
+ bool nulls[2];
+
+ rel = relation_open(relid, AccessShareLock);
+
+ if (blkno < 0 || blkno > MaxBlockNumber)
+ ereport(ERROR,
+ (errcode(ERRCODE_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE),
+ errmsg("invalid block number")));
+
+ tupdesc = pg_visibility_tupdesc(false, false);
+ MemSet(nulls, 0, sizeof(nulls));
+
+ mapbits = (int32) visibilitymap_get_status(rel, blkno, &vmbuffer);
+ if (vmbuffer != InvalidBuffer)
+ ReleaseBuffer(vmbuffer);
+ values[0] = BoolGetDatum((mapbits & VISIBILITYMAP_ALL_VISIBLE) != 0);
+ values[1] = BoolGetDatum((mapbits & VISIBILITYMAP_ALL_FROZEN) != 0);
+
+ relation_close(rel, AccessShareLock);
+
+ PG_RETURN_DATUM(HeapTupleGetDatum(heap_form_tuple(tupdesc, values, nulls)));
+}
+
+/*
+ * Visibility map information for a single block of a relation, plus the
+ * page-level information for the same block.
+ */
+Datum
+pg_visibility(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
+{
+ Oid relid = PG_GETARG_OID(0);
+ int64 blkno = PG_GETARG_INT64(1);
+ int32 mapbits;
+ Relation rel;
+ Buffer vmbuffer = InvalidBuffer;
+ Buffer buffer;
+ Page page;
+ TupleDesc tupdesc;
+ Datum values[3];
+ bool nulls[3];
+
+ rel = relation_open(relid, AccessShareLock);
+
+ if (blkno < 0 || blkno > MaxBlockNumber)
+ ereport(ERROR,
+ (errcode(ERRCODE_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE),
+ errmsg("invalid block number")));
+
+ tupdesc = pg_visibility_tupdesc(false, true);
+ MemSet(nulls, 0, sizeof(nulls));
+
+ mapbits = (int32) visibilitymap_get_status(rel, blkno, &vmbuffer);
+ if (vmbuffer != InvalidBuffer)
+ ReleaseBuffer(vmbuffer);
+ values[0] = BoolGetDatum((mapbits & VISIBILITYMAP_ALL_VISIBLE) != 0);
+ values[1] = BoolGetDatum((mapbits & VISIBILITYMAP_ALL_FROZEN) != 0);
+
+ buffer = ReadBuffer(rel, blkno);
+ LockBuffer(buffer, BUFFER_LOCK_SHARE);
+
+ page = BufferGetPage(buffer);
+ values[2] = BoolGetDatum(PageIsAllVisible(page));
+
+ UnlockReleaseBuffer(buffer);
+
+ relation_close(rel, AccessShareLock);
+
+ PG_RETURN_DATUM(HeapTupleGetDatum(heap_form_tuple(tupdesc, values, nulls)));
+}
+
+/*
+ * Visibility map information for every block in a relation.
+ */
+Datum
+pg_visibility_map_rel(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
+{
+ FuncCallContext *funcctx;
+ vbits *info;
+
+ if (SRF_IS_FIRSTCALL())
+ {
+ Oid relid = PG_GETARG_OID(0);
+ MemoryContext oldcontext;
+
+ funcctx = SRF_FIRSTCALL_INIT();
+ oldcontext = MemoryContextSwitchTo(funcctx->multi_call_memory_ctx);
+ funcctx->tuple_desc = pg_visibility_tupdesc(true, false);
+ funcctx->user_fctx = collect_visibility_data(relid, false);
+ MemoryContextSwitchTo(oldcontext);
+ }
+
+ funcctx = SRF_PERCALL_SETUP();
+ info = (vbits *) funcctx->user_fctx;
+
+ if (info->next < info->count)
+ {
+ Datum values[3];
+ bool nulls[3];
+ HeapTuple tuple;
+
+ MemSet(nulls, 0, sizeof(nulls));
+ values[0] = Int64GetDatum(info->next);
+ values[1] = BoolGetDatum((info->bits[info->next] & (1 << 0)) != 0);
+ values[2] = BoolGetDatum((info->bits[info->next] & (1 << 1)) != 0);
+ info->next++;
+
+ tuple = heap_form_tuple(funcctx->tuple_desc, values, nulls);
+ SRF_RETURN_NEXT(funcctx, HeapTupleGetDatum(tuple));
+ }
+
+ SRF_RETURN_DONE(funcctx);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Visibility map information for every block in a relation, plus the page
+ * level information for each block.
+ */
+Datum
+pg_visibility_rel(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
+{
+ FuncCallContext *funcctx;
+ vbits *info;
+
+ if (SRF_IS_FIRSTCALL())
+ {
+ Oid relid = PG_GETARG_OID(0);
+ MemoryContext oldcontext;
+
+ funcctx = SRF_FIRSTCALL_INIT();
+ oldcontext = MemoryContextSwitchTo(funcctx->multi_call_memory_ctx);
+ funcctx->tuple_desc = pg_visibility_tupdesc(true, true);
+ funcctx->user_fctx = collect_visibility_data(relid, true);
+ MemoryContextSwitchTo(oldcontext);
+ }
+
+ funcctx = SRF_PERCALL_SETUP();
+ info = (vbits *) funcctx->user_fctx;
+
+ if (info->next < info->count)
+ {
+ Datum values[4];
+ bool nulls[4];
+ HeapTuple tuple;
+
+ MemSet(nulls, 0, sizeof(nulls));
+ values[0] = Int64GetDatum(info->next);
+ values[1] = BoolGetDatum((info->bits[info->next] & (1 << 0)) != 0);
+ values[2] = BoolGetDatum((info->bits[info->next] & (1 << 1)) != 0);
+ values[3] = BoolGetDatum((info->bits[info->next] & (1 << 2)) != 0);
+ info->next++;
+
+ tuple = heap_form_tuple(funcctx->tuple_desc, values, nulls);
+ SRF_RETURN_NEXT(funcctx, HeapTupleGetDatum(tuple));
+ }
+
+ SRF_RETURN_DONE(funcctx);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Count the number of all-visible and all-frozen pages in the visibility
+ * map for a particular relation.
+ */
+Datum
+pg_visibility_map_summary(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
+{
+ Oid relid = PG_GETARG_OID(0);
+ Relation rel;
+ BlockNumber nblocks;
+ BlockNumber blkno;
+ Buffer vmbuffer = InvalidBuffer;
+ int64 all_visible = 0;
+ int64 all_frozen = 0;
+ TupleDesc tupdesc;
+ Datum values[2];
+ bool nulls[2];
+
+ rel = relation_open(relid, AccessShareLock);
+ nblocks = RelationGetNumberOfBlocks(rel);
+
+ for (blkno = 0; blkno < nblocks; ++blkno)
+ {
+ int32 mapbits;
+
+ /* Make sure we are interruptible. */
+ CHECK_FOR_INTERRUPTS();
+
+ /* Get map info. */
+ mapbits = (int32) visibilitymap_get_status(rel, blkno, &vmbuffer);
+ if ((mapbits & VISIBILITYMAP_ALL_VISIBLE) != 0)
+ ++all_visible;
+ if ((mapbits & VISIBILITYMAP_ALL_FROZEN) != 0)
+ ++all_frozen;
+ }
+
+ /* Clean up. */
+ if (vmbuffer != InvalidBuffer)
+ ReleaseBuffer(vmbuffer);
+ relation_close(rel, AccessShareLock);
+
+ tupdesc = CreateTemplateTupleDesc(2, false);
+ TupleDescInitEntry(tupdesc, (AttrNumber) 1, "all_visible", INT8OID, -1, 0);
+ TupleDescInitEntry(tupdesc, (AttrNumber) 2, "all_frozen", INT8OID, -1, 0);
+ tupdesc = BlessTupleDesc(tupdesc);
+
+ MemSet(nulls, 0, sizeof(nulls));
+ values[0] = Int64GetDatum(all_visible);
+ values[1] = Int64GetDatum(all_frozen);
+
+ PG_RETURN_DATUM(HeapTupleGetDatum(heap_form_tuple(tupdesc, values, nulls)));
+}
+
+/*
+ * Helper function to construct whichever TupleDesc we need for a particular
+ * call.
+ */
+static TupleDesc
+pg_visibility_tupdesc(bool include_blkno, bool include_pd)
+{
+ TupleDesc tupdesc;
+ AttrNumber maxattr = 2;
+ AttrNumber a = 0;
+
+ if (include_blkno)
+ ++maxattr;
+ if (include_pd)
+ ++maxattr;
+ tupdesc = CreateTemplateTupleDesc(maxattr, false);
+ if (include_blkno)
+ TupleDescInitEntry(tupdesc, ++a, "blkno", INT8OID, -1, 0);
+ TupleDescInitEntry(tupdesc, ++a, "all_visible", BOOLOID, -1, 0);
+ TupleDescInitEntry(tupdesc, ++a, "all_frozen", BOOLOID, -1, 0);
+ if (include_pd)
+ TupleDescInitEntry(tupdesc, ++a, "pd_all_visible", BOOLOID, -1, 0);
+ Assert(a == maxattr);
+
+ return BlessTupleDesc(tupdesc);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Collect visibility data about a relation.
+ */
+static vbits *
+collect_visibility_data(Oid relid, bool include_pd)
+{
+ Relation rel;
+ BlockNumber nblocks;
+ vbits *info;
+ BlockNumber blkno;
+ Buffer vmbuffer = InvalidBuffer;
+ BufferAccessStrategy bstrategy = GetAccessStrategy(BAS_BULKREAD);
+
+ rel = relation_open(relid, AccessShareLock);
+
+ nblocks = RelationGetNumberOfBlocks(rel);
+ info = palloc0(offsetof(vbits, bits) + nblocks);
+ info->next = 0;
+ info->count = nblocks;
+
+ for (blkno = 0; blkno < nblocks; ++blkno)
+ {
+ int32 mapbits;
+
+ /* Make sure we are interruptible. */
+ CHECK_FOR_INTERRUPTS();
+
+ /* Get map info. */
+ mapbits = (int32) visibilitymap_get_status(rel, blkno, &vmbuffer);
+ if ((mapbits & VISIBILITYMAP_ALL_VISIBLE) != 0)
+ info->bits[blkno] |= (1 << 0);
+ if ((mapbits & VISIBILITYMAP_ALL_FROZEN) != 0)
+ info->bits[blkno] |= (1 << 1);
+
+ /*
+ * Page-level data requires reading every block, so only get it if
+ * the caller needs it. Use a buffer access strategy, too, to prevent
+ * cache-trashing.
+ */
+ if (include_pd)
+ {
+ Buffer buffer;
+ Page page;
+
+ buffer = ReadBufferExtended(rel, MAIN_FORKNUM, blkno, RBM_NORMAL,
+ bstrategy);
+ LockBuffer(buffer, BUFFER_LOCK_SHARE);
+
+ page = BufferGetPage(buffer);
+ if (PageIsAllVisible(page))
+ info->bits[blkno] |= (1 << 2);
+
+ UnlockReleaseBuffer(buffer);
+ }
+ }
+
+ /* Clean up. */
+ if (vmbuffer != InvalidBuffer)
+ ReleaseBuffer(vmbuffer);
+ relation_close(rel, AccessShareLock);
+
+ return info;
+}
diff --git a/contrib/pg_visibility/pg_visibility.control b/contrib/pg_visibility/pg_visibility.control
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1d7185351ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/pg_visibility/pg_visibility.control
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# pg_visibility extension
+comment = 'examine the visibility map (VM) and page-level visibility info'
+default_version = '1.0'
+module_pathname = '$libdir/pg_visibility'
+relocatable = true
diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/contrib.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/contrib.sgml
index 1b3d2d93c75..4e3f3371251 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/contrib.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/contrib.sgml
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ CREATE EXTENSION <replaceable>module_name</> FROM unpackaged;
&pgstatstatements;
&pgstattuple;
&pgtrgm;
+ &pgvisibility;
&postgres-fdw;
&seg;
&sepgsql;
diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/filelist.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/filelist.sgml
index a12fee73db3..30adecee367 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/filelist.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/filelist.sgml
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@
<!ENTITY pgstatstatements SYSTEM "pgstatstatements.sgml">
<!ENTITY pgstattuple SYSTEM "pgstattuple.sgml">
<!ENTITY pgtrgm SYSTEM "pgtrgm.sgml">
+<!ENTITY pgvisibility SYSTEM "pgvisibility.sgml">
<!ENTITY postgres-fdw SYSTEM "postgres-fdw.sgml">
<!ENTITY seg SYSTEM "seg.sgml">
<!ENTITY contrib-spi SYSTEM "contrib-spi.sgml">
diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/pgvisibility.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/pgvisibility.sgml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6a98b55949e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/pgvisibility.sgml
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+<!-- doc/src/sgml/pgvisibility.sgml -->
+
+<sect1 id="pgvisibility" xreflabel="pg_visibility">
+ <title>pg_visibility</title>
+
+ <indexterm zone="pgvisibility">
+ <primary>pg_visibility</primary>
+ </indexterm>
+
+ <para>
+ The <filename>pg_visibility</> module provides a means for examining the
+ visibility map (VM) and page-level visibility information.
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ These routines return information about three different bits. The
+ all-visible bit in the visibility map indicates that every tuple on
+ a given page of a relation is visible to every current transaction. The
+ all-frozen bit in the visibility map indicates that every tuple on the
+ page is frozen; that is, no future vacuum will need to modify the page
+ until such time as a tuple is inserted, updated, deleted, or locked on
+ that page. The page-level <literal>PD_ALL_VISIBLE</literal> bit has the
+ same meaning as the all-visible bit in the visibility map, but is stored
+ within the data page itself rather than a separate data tructure. These
+ will normally agree, but the page-level bit can sometimes be set while the
+ visibility map bit is clear after a crash recovery; or they can disagree
+ because of a change which occurs after <literal>pg_visibility</> examines
+ the visibility map and before it examines the data page.
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+ Functions which display information about <literal>PG_ALL_VISIBLE</>
+ are much more costly than those which only consult the visibility map,
+ because they must read the relation's data blocks rather than only the
+ (much smaller) visibility map.
+ </para>
+
+ <sect2>
+ <title>Functions</title>
+
+ <variablelist>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term><function>pg_visibility_map(regclass, blkno bigint, all_visible OUT boolean, all_frozen OUT boolean) returns record</function></term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Returns the all-visible and all-frozen bits in the visibility map for
+ the given block of the given relation.
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term><function>pg_visibility(regclass, blkno bigint, all_visible OUT boolean, all_frozen OUT boolean, pd_all_visible OUT boolean) returns record</function></term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Returns the all-visible and all-frozen bits in the visibility map for
+ the given block of the given relation, plus the
+ <literal>PD_ALL_VISIBILE</> bit for that block.
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term><function>pg_visibility_map(regclass, blkno OUT bigint, all_visible OUT boolean, all_frozen OUT boolean) returns record</function></term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Returns the all-visible and all-frozen bits in the visibility map for
+ each block the given relation.
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term><function>pg_visibility(regclass, blkno OUT bigint, all_visible OUT boolean, all_frozen OUT boolean, pd_all_visible OUT boolean) returns record</function></term>
+
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Returns the all-visible and all-frozen bits in the visibility map for
+ each block the given relation, plus the <literal>PD_ALL_VISIBLE</>
+ bit for each block.
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term><function>pg_visibility_map_summary(regclass, all_visible OUT bigint, all_frozen OUT bigint) returns record</function></term>
+
+ <listitem>
+ <para>
+ Returns the number of all-visible pages and the number of all-frozen
+ pages in the relation according to the visibility map.
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ </variablelist>
+
+ <para>
+ By default, these functions are not publicly executable.
+ </para>
+ </sect2>
+
+ <sect2>
+ <title>Author</title>
+
+ <para>
+ Robert Haas <email>rhaas@postgresql.org</email>
+ </para>
+ </sect2>
+
+</sect1>
diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/storage.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/storage.sgml
index e2be43e63df..9b2e09e3857 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/storage.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/storage.sgml
@@ -648,6 +648,11 @@ might not be true. Visibility map bits are only set by vacuum, but are
cleared by any data-modifying operations on a page.
</para>
+<para>
+The <xref linkend="pgvisibility"> module can be used to examine the
+information stored in the visibility map.
+</para>
+
</sect1>
<sect1 id="storage-init">