Re: Incorrect behaviour when using a GiST index on points - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

On Fri, Nov 02, 2012 at 09:01:17PM +0400, Alexander Korotkov wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 4:46 PM, Noah Misch <noah@leadboat.com> wrote:
> > On Fri, Nov 02, 2012 at 04:05:30PM +0400, Alexander Korotkov wrote:
> > > On Thu, Oct 18, 2012 at 11:18 PM, Noah Misch <noah@leadboat.com> wrote:
> >
> > > > > --- 1339,1356 ----
> > > > >                       *recheck = false;
> > > > >                       break;
> > > > >               case BoxStrategyNumberGroup:
> > > > > !                     /*
> > > > > !                      * This code repeats logic of on_ob which uses
> > > > simple comparison
> > > > > !                      * rather than FP* functions.
> > > > > !                      */
> > > > > !                     query = PG_GETARG_BOX_P(1);
> > > > > !                     key = DatumGetBoxP(entry->key);
> > > > > !
> > > > > !                     *recheck = false;
> > > > > !                     result = key->high.x >= query->low.x &&
> > > > > !                                      key->low.x <= query->high.x &&
> > > > > !                                      key->high.y >= query->low.y &&
> > > > > !                                      key->low.y <= query->high.y;
> > > >
> > > > For leaf entries, this correctly degenerates to on_pb().  For internal
> > > > entries, it must, but does not, implement box_overlap().  (The fuzzy
> > > > box_overlap() would be fine.)

> >  It
> > remains that the code here must somehow implement a box_overlap()-style
> > calculation for internal pages.
> >
> 
> Sorry, didn't understand this point. What exactly do you mean by
> box_overlap()-style?

point_ops index entries have type "box".  On leaf pages, the box for each
entry is trivial, having high == low.  At leaf pages, gist_point_consistent()
should implement "point <@ box" with an algorithm equivalent to on_pb(); your
latest code achieves that.  In internal pages, the box for each entry is
rarely trivial; it spans all points stored on the leaf page reachable through
its downlink.  At internal pages, gist_point_consistent() should implement
"point <@ box" with an algorithm near-equivalent to box_overlap().  (As an
optional deviation, it may use exact comparisons despite box_overlap() using
fuzzy comparisons.)  Looking at the math again, your latest code does achieve
that, too.  I was thrown off by your use of a different, albeit mathematically
equivalent, algorithm from the one used in box_overlap().  Please don't do
that; either use box_overlap()'s algorithm here, or change box_overlap() to
use the shorter algorithm you have introduced.  Formulating the same
calculation differently in related code is a recipe for confusion.  (Then
again, perhaps the equivalence of the algorithms is obvious to everyone
entitled to travel within 1 km of the geometric type implementation.)

Thanks,
nm