Re: Another idea for index-only scans - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

From Jeff Davis
Subject Re: Another idea for index-only scans
Date
Msg-id 1187291080.24679.15.camel@dogma.ljc.laika.com
Whole thread Raw
In response to Another idea for index-only scans  (Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us>)
Responses Re: Another idea for index-only scans  (Alvaro Herrera <alvherre@commandprompt.com>)
List pgsql-hackers
On Wed, 2007-08-15 at 11:54 -0400, Bruce Momjian wrote:
> I have added another idea for index-only scans to the TODO list:
> 
> >   A third idea would be for a heap scan to check if all rows are visible
> >   and if so set a per-table flag which can be checked by index scans.
> >   Any change to the table would have to clear the flag.  To detect
> >   changes during the heap scan a counter could be set at the start and
> >   checked at the end --- if it is the same, the table has not been
> >   modified --- any table change would increment the counter.
> 

This sounds useful for read-only or read-mostly tables.

However, it also sounds a little dangerous. If you test your application
performance, but not thoroughly enough, you might end up with a surprise
when going into production.

Regards,Jeff Davis



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