[tor-dev] documenting reload vs. restart requirements per torrc option

[nusenu]

Hi,

I like unbound's documentation with this regards, for example they say

The interfaces are not changed on a reload (kill -HUP)
but only on restart.

Could we add such information to every torrc option in the manual?


background:

In relayor I need to reload/restart tor daemons on configuration changes
currently I blindly assume reload is fine, because in most cases it is
but it comes with the prices of accepting a certain level of error
since not all configuration changes can be applied by reloads.
To fix this I'd need to have authoritative information about
what changes require restarts vs. reloads.



[1] https://unbound.net/documentation/unbound.conf.html

[teor]

Post by nusenu
Hi,
I like unbound's documentation with this regards, for example they say

The interfaces are not changed on a reload (kill -HUP)
but only on restart.

Could we add such information to every torrc option in the manual?

torrc options can be changed by a HUP by default.
There are about 20 torrc options that are documented as exceptions.
Search the man page for "while tor is running."
(We reviewed and updated this documentation in 0.3.0.)

NoExec has a slightly different format, it says:
"Once this option has been set to 1, it cannot be set back to 0 without
restarting Tor."

If it would help automated searches, we can change it to:
"Once this option has been set to 1, it cannot be set back to 0 while Tor
is running."

Post by nusenu
In relayor I need to reload/restart tor daemons on configuration changes
currently I blindly assume reload is fine, because in most cases it is
but it comes with the prices of accepting a certain level of error
since not all configuration changes can be applied by reloads.
To fix this I'd need to have authoritative information about
what changes require restarts vs. reloads.

If you find options that can't be changed while tor is running, but aren't
documented, please feel free to submit a patch.

T

[nusenu]

Post by teor

Post by nusenu
Hi,
I like unbound's documentation with this regards, for example they say

The interfaces are not changed on a reload (kill -HUP)
but only on restart.

Could we add such information to every torrc option in the manual?

torrc options can be changed by a HUP by default.
There are about 20 torrc options that are documented as exceptions.
Search the man page for "while tor is running."

thanks that hint is very useful