Re: How to avoid multiple table scan with "NOT IN"

From: Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us>
To: Nick <nboutelier(at)gmail(dot)com>
Cc: pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org
Subject: Re: How to avoid multiple table scan with "NOT IN"
Date: 2009-03-22 01:55:33
Message-ID: 3381.1237686933@sss.pgh.pa.us
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Nick <nboutelier(at)gmail(dot)com> writes:
> Is there any way this query could be written that doesnt scan the
> subquery table twice?

> SELECT * FROM my_table
> WHERE (one,two) NOT IN (SELECT sub_one, sub_two FROM my_sub_table)
> AND (two,one) NOT IN (SELECT sub_one, sub_two FROM my_sub_table)

The first kluge that comes to mind is

SELECT * FROM my_table
WHERE
(least(one,two), greatest(one,two))
NOT IN (SELECT least(sub_one,sub_two), greatest(sub_one,sub_two)
FROM my_sub_table);

assuming that both the columns are of the same sortable datatype.
There are probably other ways.

regards, tom lane

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