Re: Unique indices and nulls

From: Roland Roberts <roland(at)astrofoto(dot)org>
To: pgsql-novice(at)postgresql(dot)org
Subject: Re: Unique indices and nulls
Date: 2002-09-11 14:29:18
Message-ID: m265xc38ht.fsf@kuiper.rlent.pnet
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>>>>> "Tom" == Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us> writes:

Tom> Tell you the truth, my advice is to reconsider the way you're
Tom> using NULLs. C.J. Date thinks NULLs are evil and best
Tom> avoided ... your case may be an example of what he's driving
Tom> at.

I have reconsidered...the NULLs have to stay, but the index is no
longer unique, it is only on the non-null columns, and is only being
used for select purposes. Instead, I am enforcing the constraint via
a "before insert" trigger. Except for loading the table, this table
will have virtually no inserts, so the trigger seems a reasonable way
to go.

roland
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Roland B. Roberts, PhD RL Enterprises
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