Postgresql 9.0 is running in bg by default - postgresql

Question

I found that postgresql v9.0.7 is running in bg mode by default when it is started ( Command below ). Earlier when we were using postgresql v7.4.2 it used to run in foreground mode.
I am using freebsd 8.2 64 bit environment. Postgresql v9.0.7 is built with WITHOUT_XML, WITHOUT_GETTEXT and WITHOUT_GNUGEOPT options set.
c670e04:rkananth 16] /usr/local/bin/postgres --version
postgres (PostgreSQL) 9.0.7
c670e04:rkananth 7] setenv PGDATA /data/db/postgres/
c670e04:rkananth 11] /data/bin/runas pgsql /usr/local/bin/postgres
c670e04:rkananth 12] ps -A | grep post
65165 ?? Ss 0:00.01 /usr/local/bin/postgres
65167 ?? Ss 0:00.00 postgres: writer process (postgres)
65168 ?? Ss 0:00.00 postgres: wal writer process (postgres)
65169 ?? Ss 0:00.00 postgres: autovacuum launcher process (postgres)
65170 ?? Ss 0:00.00 postgres: stats collector process (postgres)
65224 0 S+ 0:00.00 grep post
c670e04:rkananth 14] ps -p 65165 -o ppid
PPID
1
c670e04:rkananth 15] ps 1
PID TT STAT TIME COMMAND
1 ?? SLs 0:00.17 /sbin/init --
c670e04:rkananth 16]
Are there any way where I can force it to come foreground?
Also looking at the above log, it shows that the server process's parent is set to 1 ( init) is it expected behavior when server runs in bg mode ?
However documentation for 9.0.7 says by default it should come in foreground. Why is this not happening in my case, may be a bug?
Update 1:
/data/bin/runas is not introducing any behavior change, tested without it. Same behavior is is also seen in v8.3 and on Freebsd 7.2 32-bit environment.
Server process becoming child of PID 1 ( init ) looks like a standard behavior of any application runs as a daemon.
My question now is - Is there a way where I can instruct Postgres not to run as Daemon ?
Update 2:
Got the solution it is the config "silent_mode = off" (By default it is on) will make it to run in foreground and process runs as child process of the shell. With this the question is answered.
( Source - http://postgresql.1045698.n5.nabble.com/BUG-4381-Postgresql-daemon-won-t-stay-in-the-foreground-td2127518.html )

Answer 1

Indeed, postgres should stay in the foreground, as stated in the manpage:
By default postgres starts in the foreground and prints log
messages to the standard error stream. In practical applications
postgres should be started as a background process, perhaps at
boot time.
Most likely the runas command is what daemonizes the postgres process. Try running postgres from a shell started as pgsql user:
root# su - pgsql
pgsql$ setenv PGDATA /data/db/postgres/
pgsql$ /usr/local/bin/postgres
You can also try with su(1) and sudo(8) if you don't like the idea of a shell as pgsql user.
Now I'm wondering why you need postgres to run in the foreground. Do you really have a good reason?