Possible bug in query planner when using DISTINCT - Mailing list pgsql-bugs

Using postgres 7.2.3 the query planner seems to lose interest in using
indexes when DISTINCT is used.


Sample query without DISTINCT:

SELECT
ps_7.id,
FROM
   ps_7,
   page
WHERE
  page.id = ps_7.id
ORDER BY
 ps_7.id DESC
LIMIT 5;


NOTICE:  QUERY PLAN:

Limit  (cost=0.00..33.22 rows=5 width=16)
  ->  Nested Loop  (cost=0.00..230302.91 rows=34668 width=16)
        ->  Index Scan Backward using ps7_key on edsol_ps_page_7
(cost=0.00..62379.02 rows=34668 width=12)
        ->  Index Scan using page_key on edsol_page
(cost=0.00..4.83 rows=1 width=4)


SELECT
 DISTINCT ps_7.id,
FROM
   ps_7,
   page
WHERE
  page.id = ps_7.id
ORDER BY
 ps_7.id DESC
LIMIT 5;


NOTICE:  QUERY PLAN:

Limit  (cost=11363.68..11363.93 rows=5 width=16)
  ->  Unique  (cost=11363.68..11537.02 rows=3467 width=16)
        ->  Sort  (cost=11363.68..11363.68 rows=34668 width=16)
              ->  Hash Join  (cost=2422.35..8404.58 rows=34668 width=16)
                    ->  Seq Scan on page  (cost=0.00..3602.75
rows=82075 width=4)
                    ->  Hash  (cost=2182.68..2182.68 rows=34668 width=12)
                          ->  Seq Scan on ps_7
(cost=0.00..2182.68 rows=34668 width=12)


which is considerably more expensive
--
Nick Howden -  Senior IT Analyst
Trusted Information Management Group
Woodward Building, Room B105
QinetiQ Malvern Technology Park, WR14 3PS
Telephone 01684 895566, Fax 4303