Consider this setup - which is a gross simplification of parts of our production system ;-)
create table c (id integer primary key); create table b (id integer primary key, c_id integer); create index b_on_c on b(c_id) insert into c (select ... lots of IDs ...); insert into b (select id, id from c); /* keep it simple :-) */ Now, I'm just interessted in some few rows. All those gives good plans: explain select c.id from c order by c.id limit 1; explain select c.id from c group by c.id order by c.id limit 1; explain select c.id from c join b on c_id=c.id order by c.id limit 1; ... BUT ... combining join, group and limit makes havoc: explain select c.id from c join b on c_id=c.id group by c.id order by c.id desc limit 5; QUERY PLAN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Limit (cost=3809.65..3809.67 rows=5 width=4) -> Group (cost=3809.65..3940.59 rows=26187 width=4) -> Sort (cost=3809.65..3875.12 rows=26188 width=4) Sort Key: c.id -> Hash Join (cost=559.34..1887.89 rows=26188 width=4) Hash Cond: ("outer".id = "inner".c_id) -> Seq Scan on c (cost=0.00..403.87 rows=26187 width=4) -> Hash (cost=403.87..403.87 rows=26187 width=4) -> Seq Scan on b (cost=0.00..403.87 rows=26187 width=4) (9 rows) I get the same behaviour on pg 7.4.7 and pg 8.0.2. Of course, I can probably use subqueries instead of join - though, I would have wished the planner could do better ;-) -- Notice of Confidentiality: This information may be confidential, and blah-blah-blah - so please keep your eyes closed. Please delete and destroy this email. Failure to comply will cause my lawyer to yawn. ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- TIP 1: if posting/reading through Usenet, please send an appropriate subscribe-nomail command to [EMAIL PROTECTED] so that your message can get through to the mailing list cleanly