Re: extra function calls from query returning composite type

Ronald Peterson wrote
> The existence of LATERAL seems to imply that it's possible.

The presence of LATERAL, which applies during FROM clause processing,
implies nothing about what is possible during SELECT-list processing.

This was a problem for a long time and if an easy/possible solution was
possible without LATERAL it would have been done. LATERAL took a while to
get around to but neatly solves the problem.

I'll agree the being able to write: SELECT col1, col2, func_call(...).*,
col3 for non-set-returning-functions seems to have some value (though such a
function is likely to be defined stable or immutable and so side-steps the
problem - I think) but the most common reason for wanting SELECT
func_call(...) is for a set-returning-function with table-based inputs.

Since your example was set-returning it doesn't add anything to the argument
for not using LATERAL; and there are other problems than just
multiple-evaluation that occur when placing a set-returning-function into
the select-list.

David J.

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