Re: more problems with count(*) on large table - Mailing list pgsql-general

From Albe Laurenz
Subject Re: more problems with count(*) on large table
Date
Msg-id D960CB61B694CF459DCFB4B0128514C244378C@exadv11.host.magwien.gv.at
Whole thread Raw
In response to Re: more problems with count(*) on large table  (Alban Hertroys <a.hertroys@magproductions.nl>)
Responses Re: more problems with count(*) on large table
List pgsql-general
Alban Hertroys wrote:
> A. Kretschmer wrote:
>> Again: an index can't help! Because of MVCC: 'select count(*)'
without
>> WHERE-condition forces an seq. table-scan.
>
> That has very little to do with MVCC.
>
> [...] For that it makes no difference whether a seq
> scan or an index scan is performed - both cases need to check at the
> record level whether it's visible (where the seq scan is
> already looking at the actual record, of course).

If you do not use MVCC (say, you use DB2), you need not check
the record itself because if it is there (which it is if there
is an index entry), it will be 'visible'.

> I pleed not guilty ;)

Declined, sorry.

Yours,
Laurenz Albe

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