Support existing-but-not-initialized databases in init script

[yajo]

Since odoo/odoo@cb2862a (v12+), Odoo will not autoinitialize modules in a database that already exists.

However, in v8-, Odoo will not start if the database doesn't exist.

To make this difference easier to handle, with this change, click-odoo-initdb will treat non-existing databases the same as non-initialized ones (which is, for Odoo, the same).

@Tecnativa TT20713

[sbidoul]

Could you elaborate your practical use case?

[yajo]

Yes, when booting a new instance, if the database exists but is not initialized, Odoo fails to start.

I expected click-odoo-initdb -n $PGDATABASE --unless-exists to initialize the DB, but it doesn't because it already exists.

IMHO, within Odoo's mindset a database "exists" if it is present in the server and initialized. I can however change some semantics if you prefer it, adding a --unless-initialized flag that does this specific behavior.

[sbidoul]

adding a --unless-initialized flag

I'd be more comfortable with that yes, with a test.

Thanks!

[yajo]

Done.

[sbidoul]

This is still red.

[yajo]

AFAICS the problem is now the test, right? It's surprised that we can actually initialize a database that already existed, but since we didn't pass --unless-initialized, this is the new expected behavior. Is that it?

[sbidoul]

@yajo, the failing test looks ok to me: if we try initdb on any existing, even uninitialized database, it must fail by default as this is the safest thing to do.

[yajo]

I'm scratching a lot my head with these flags... 🤔 I think they don't make any sense.

Look, this matrix is what we'd got if we continue like this:

command	exit code if db is absent	action if db is absent	exit code if db exists	action if db exists	exit code if db is initialized	action if db is initialized
click-odoo-initdb -n newdb	0	Create + initialize	1	none	1	none
click-odoo-initdb -n newdb –unless-exists	0	Create + initialize	0	none	0	none
click-odoo-initdb -n newdb –unless-initialized	0	Create + initialize	0	initialize	0	none
click-odoo-initdb -n newdb –unless-initialized –but-tell-me-if-it-fails	0	Create + initialize	0	initialize	1	none

The last row is what is missing, and it is the case that I actually need. So, how do you want it implemented? Do I really have to add --but-tell-me-if-it-fails flag?

Under Odoo PoV, a DB that is not initialized is just as useless as if it didn't exist. So, can't we just make this script treat unexisting and uninitialized dbs the same? It'd be the simplest solution AFAICS...

[sbidoul]

Still scratching my head too ;) I'm still convinced we need a new option but I'm not sure yet how to name it.

[yajo]

can't we just make this script treat unexisting and uninitialized dbs the same?

The script is called initdb, not createdb. Would this be such a bad option? 🙄

[pedrobaeza]

Any news on this?