- * This is useful for columns that a client treats as "write-only", that is, it
- * updates them but doesn't want to get alerted about its own updates. It also
- * won't be alerted about other clients' updates, so this is suitable only for
- * use by a client that "owns" a particular column.
+ * This function is only useful if 'monitor_everything_by_default' was false in
+ * the call to ovsdb_idl_create(). This function should be called between
+ * ovsdb_idl_create() and the first call to ovsdb_idl_run().
+ */
+void
+ovsdb_idl_add_column(struct ovsdb_idl *idl,
+ const struct ovsdb_idl_column *column)
+{
+ *ovsdb_idl_get_mode(idl, column) = OVSDB_IDL_MONITOR | OVSDB_IDL_ALERT;
+ add_ref_table(idl, &column->type.key);
+ add_ref_table(idl, &column->type.value);
+}
+
+/* Ensures that the table with class 'tc' will be replicated on 'idl' even if
+ * no columns are selected for replication. This can be useful because it
+ * allows 'idl' to keep track of what rows in the table actually exist, which
+ * in turn allows columns that reference the table to have accurate contents.
+ * (The IDL presents the database with references to rows that do not exist
+ * removed.)