The following bug has been logged online:

Bug reference: 1633
Logged by: deepak
Email address: deepak (AT) jtech (DOT) co.in
PostgreSQL version: 8.0.1
Operating system: MS windows 2000 Server
Description: about transactions and row level locking
Details:

How we can know a record is locked before updating the record. The purpose
is to avoid deadlock or queuing of update statements while using "select *
from table for update".

---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
TIP 2: you can get off all lists at once with the unregister command
(send "unregister YourEmailAddressHere" to majordomo (AT) postgresql (DOT) org)

On Wed, Apr 27, 2005 at 13:56:02 +0100,
deepak <deepak (AT) jtech (DOT) co.in> wrote:
This isn't a bug, its a question. I am moving the discussion over to
the general list.

You might be able to use a short timeout on the statement that tries the
update.

---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
TIP 4: Don't 'kill -9' the postmaster