joining two tables slow due to sequential scan

From: "Tim Jones" <TJones(at)optio(dot)com>
To: <pgsql-performance(at)postgresql(dot)org>
Subject: joining two tables slow due to sequential scan
Date: 2006-02-10 22:06:35
Message-ID: 47668A1334CDBF46927C1A0DFEB223D3131302@mail.optiosoftware.com
Views: Raw Message | Whole Thread | Download mbox | Resend email
Thread:
Lists: pgsql-performance


I am trying to join two tables and keep getting a sequential scan in the
plan even though there is an index on the columns I am joining on.
Basically this the deal ... I have two tables with docid in them which
is what I am using for the join.

ClinicalDocs ... (no primary key) though it does not help if I make
docid primary key
docid integer (index)
patientid integer (index)
visitid integer (index)
...

Documentversions
docid integer (index)
docversionnumber (index)
docversionidentifier (primary key)

It seems to do an index scan if I put the primary key as docid. This is
what occurs when I link on the patid from ClinicalDocs to patient table.
However I can not make the docid primary key because it gets repeated
depending on how may versions of a document I have. I have tried using
a foreign key on documentversions with no sucess.

In addition this query

select * from documentversions join clinicaldocuments on
documentversions.documentidentifier
= clinicaldocuments.dssdocumentidentifier where
documentversions.documentstatus = 'AC';

does index scan
but if I change the order e.g

select * from clinicaldocuments join documentversions on
clinicaldocuments.dssdocumentidentifier
= documentversions .documentidentifier where
clinicaldocuments.patientidentifier= 123;

does sequential scan what I need is bottom query
it is extremely slow ... Any ideas ?

Tim Jones
Healthcare Project Manager
Optio Software, Inc.
(770) 576-3555

Responses

Browse pgsql-performance by date

  From Date Subject
Next Message Dave Dutcher 2006-02-10 22:14:30 Re: joining two tables slow due to sequential scan
Previous Message Steinar H. Gunderson 2006-02-10 21:03:19 Re: help required in design of database