Re: why my query is not using index?? - Mailing list pgsql-performance

From Janning Vygen
Subject Re: why my query is not using index??
Date
Msg-id 200410111425.02671.vygen@gmx.de
Whole thread Raw
In response to why my query is not using index??  (HyunSung Jang <siche@siche.net>)
Responses Re: why my query is not using index??
List pgsql-performance
Am Mittwoch, 6. Oktober 2004 09:31 schrieben Sie:
> postgres=# explain ANALYZE select * from test where today < '2004-01-01';
>                                              QUERY PLAN
>------------------------- Seq Scan on test  (cost=0.00..19.51 rows=334
> width=44) (actual
> time=0.545..2.429 rows=721 loops=1)
>    Filter: (today < '2004-01-01 00:00:00'::timestamp without time zone)
>  Total runtime: 3.072 ms
> (3 rows)
>
> postgres=# explain ANALYZE select * from test where today > '2003-01-01'
> and today < '2004-01-01';
>                                                                   QUERY
> PLAN
> --------------------------------------------------------------- Index
> Scan using idx_today on test  (cost=0.00..18.89 rows=6 width=44) (actual
> time=0.055..1.098 rows=365 loops=1)
>    Index Cond: ((today > '2003-01-01 00:00:00'::timestamp without time
> zone) AND (today < '2004-01-01 00:00:00'::timestamp without time zone))
>  Total runtime: 1.471 ms
> (3 rows)
>
> hello
>
> I was expected 1st query should using index, but it doesn't
> 2nd query doing perfect as you see.

postgres uses a seq scan if its faster. In your case postgres seems to know
that most of your rows have a date < 2004-01-01 and so doesn't need to
consult the index if it has to read every page anyway. seq scan can be faster
on small tables. try (in psql) "SET enable_seqscan TO off;"  before running
your query and see how postgres plans it without using seq scan.

janning




pgsql-performance by date:

Previous
From: Janning Vygen
Date:
Subject: Re: EXPLAIN ANALYZE much slower than running query normally
Next
From: Tom Lane
Date:
Subject: Re: Views, joins and LIMIT