Try:
SELECT tx_date FROM t_lane_tx ORDER BY tx_date DESC LIMIT 1;
hth,
- Stuart
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ron Johnson [mailto:ron.l.johnson@cox.net]
>
> Hi,
>
> As you can see, I "VACUUM VERBOSE ANALYZE" my table, describe
> the index on the table, then try to find the max() value of
> the indexed field. However, EXPLAIN still shows that the
> query wants to sequentially scan the table.
>
> Why?
>
> TIA,
> Ron
>
> test2=# vacuum verbose analyze t_lane_tx;
> NOTICE: --Relation t_lane_tx--
> NOTICE: Pages 1785858: Changed 0, Empty 0; Tup 33931294: Vac
> 0, Keep 0,
> UnUsed 0.
> Total CPU 77.03s/7.24u sec elapsed 494.00 sec.
> NOTICE: Analyzing t_lane_tx
> VACUUM
> test2=# \d i_lane_tx_tmp
> Index "i_lane_tx_tmp"
> Column | Type
> ---------+------
> tx_date | date
> btree
>
> test2=# explain select max(tx_date) from t_lane_tx;
> NOTICE: QUERY PLAN:
>
> Aggregate (cost=2209999.20..2209999.20 rows=1 width=4)
> -> Seq Scan on t_lane_tx (cost=0.00..2125170.96 rows=33931296
> width=4)
>
