commit aee7ed858a4dbf6fde324dc66b15a862113800b8
Author: David G. Johnston <david.g.johnston@gmail.com>
Date:   Mon Nov 2 15:55:39 2020 +0000

    Clarify the signal functions have no feedback
    
    Bug# 16652 complains that the definition of success for pg_reload_conf
    doesn't include the outcome of actually reloading the configuration
    files.  While this is a fairly easy gap to cross given knowledge of
    signals, being more explicit here doesn't hurt.
    
    Additionally, because of the special nature of pg_reload_conf, add
    links to the various locations where information related to the
    success or failure of a reload can be found.

diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml
index bf6004f321..2b3aed12dc 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml
@@ -23900,7 +23900,8 @@ SELECT collation for ('foo' COLLATE "de_DE");
 
    <para>
     Each of these functions returns <literal>true</literal> if
-    successful and <literal>false</literal> otherwise.
+    the signal was successfully sent and <literal>false</literal>
+    if the sending of the signal failed.
    </para>
 
    <table id="functions-admin-signal-table">
@@ -23948,7 +23949,12 @@ SELECT collation for ('foo' COLLATE "de_DE");
         server to reload their configuration files.  (This is initiated by
         sending a <systemitem>SIGHUP</systemitem> signal to the postmaster
         process, which in turn sends <systemitem>SIGHUP</systemitem> to each
-        of its children.)
+        of its children.)  To check the configuration files for errors, inspect
+        the <link linkend="view-pg-file-settings">pg_file_settings</link>
+        and
+        <link linkend="view-pg-hba-file-rules">pg_hba_file_rules</link> views.
+        This can be done before reloading as those views display live file
+        contents.
        </para></entry>
       </row>