Re: NOT IN (NULL) ? - Mailing list pgsql-general

From Tom Lane
Subject Re: NOT IN (NULL) ?
Date
Msg-id 24334.1288545554@sss.pgh.pa.us
Whole thread Raw
In response to Re: NOT IN (NULL) ?  ("Paul" <magamos@mail.ru>)
List pgsql-general
"Paul" <magamos@mail.ru> writes:
> But  there  is  not  such  thing  in PostgreSQL as empty set as "IN ()" that must be
> false, because nothing element may be found in empty set.
> And  I  thought that instead of "IN ()" I could use "IN (NULL)", but I
> was failed and result was NULL and not FALSE. :(

NULL is not an alternative spelling for an empty set.

You could get an empty IN set by using a sub-select yielding no rows,
for example

regression=# select 1 in (select 1 where false);
 ?column?
----------
 f
(1 row)

regression=# select 1 not in (select 1 where false);
 ?column?
----------
 t
(1 row)

            regards, tom lane

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