I just wanted to share my revelation on how an index can do wonders for a query:
pgslekt=> explain select child_fk, get_coparent(570,child_fk), get_pbdate(child_fk) as pbd from relations where parent_fk = 570 order by pbd; QUERY PLAN ----------------------------------------------------------------- Sort (cost=378.26..378.27 rows=5 width=4) Sort Key: get_pbdate(child_fk) -> Seq Scan on relations (cost=0.00..378.20 rows=5 width=4) Filter: (parent_fk = 570) (4 rows) pgslekt=> create index parent_key on relations(parent_fk); CREATE INDEX pgslekt=> create index child_key on relations(child_fk); CREATE INDEX pgslekt=> explain select child_fk, get_coparent(570,child_fk), get_pbdate(child_fk) as pbd from relations where parent_fk = 570 order by pbd; QUERY PLAN ----------------------------------------------------------------- Sort (cost=13.81..13.83 rows=5 width=4) Sort Key: get_pbdate(child_fk) -> Index Scan using parent_key on relations (cost=0.00..13.76 rows=5 width=4) Index Cond: (parent_fk = 570) (4 rows) As a consequence, the time for generating a page listing the descendants and their spouses for a singularly prodigius and well-researched family - in total about 1100 persons - went down from 30 seconds to 3. I am thoroughly amazed. -- Leif Biberg Kristensen | Registered Linux User #338009 http://solumslekt.org/ | Cruising with Gentoo/KDE ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- TIP 2: Don't 'kill -9' the postmaster