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Date: Sun, 27 Nov 2022 15:23:22 -0600
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Subject: Re: Disable unique constraint in Postgres
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From: Ron <ronljohnsonjr@gmail.com>
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On 11/27/22 10:58, Scott Ribe wrote:
>> On Nov 27, 2022, at 9:51 AM, Samed YILDIRIM<samed@reddoc.net>  wrote:
>>
>> Important point is why you want to disable a unique constraint.
>>      • If you want to add some duplicate rows into a table, you try to do something fundamentally wrong.
> Even more so: why is disabling superior to dropping???
>
> It is at most an extremely minor convenience to be able to re-enable it without having to re-create it, in that you can, presumably, just re-enable by name without specifying the constraint details. In other words, in my opinion, it is a virtually worthless feature. (Typical "enterprise software" feature creep.)

Being an "enterprise dba", IMNSHO "disable constraint" (and more 
specifically "*disable index*") is a /great/ feature for maintaining 
tables.  For example, if you need to purge a *lot* of records into a table, 
disable all indices except the index supporting your WHERE CLAUSE, delete 
the data, and then re-enable the indices.  Bonus points if the REENABLE 
commands can be done in parallel.

Sure, you /can/ dig around for all of the CREATE INDEX statements, but that 
leads to possible errors: "oops, forgot to recreate one of them", or "typo 
caused one to fail".  OTOH, DISABLE INDEX and REENABLE INDEX are 
idiot-proof, and can be automated.

-- 
Angular momentum makes the world go 'round.
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    On 11/27/22 10:58, Scott Ribe wrote:<br>
    <blockquote type="cite"
      cite="mid:B7F0896B-C1E1-4858-9CC6-A9FAD31727CC@elevated-dev.com">
      <blockquote type="cite">
        <pre class="moz-quote-pre" wrap="">On Nov 27, 2022, at 9:51 AM, Samed YILDIRIM <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:samed@reddoc.net">&lt;samed@reddoc.net&gt;</a> wrote:

Important point is why you want to disable a unique constraint. 
    • If you want to add some duplicate rows into a table, you try to do something fundamentally wrong.
</pre>
      </blockquote>
      <pre class="moz-quote-pre" wrap="">
Even more so: why is disabling superior to dropping???

It is at most an extremely minor convenience to be able to re-enable it without having to re-create it, in that you can, presumably, just re-enable by name without specifying the constraint details. In other words, in my opinion, it is a virtually worthless feature. (Typical "enterprise software" feature creep.)
</pre>
    </blockquote>
    <br>
    Being an "enterprise dba", IMNSHO "disable constraint" (and more
    specifically "<b>disable index</b>") is a <i>great</i> feature for
    maintaining tables.  For example, if you need to purge a <b>lot</b>
    of records into a table, disable all indices except the index
    supporting your WHERE CLAUSE, delete the data, and then re-enable
    the indices.  Bonus points if the REENABLE commands can be done in
    parallel.<br>
    <br>
    Sure, you <i>can</i> dig around for all of the CREATE INDEX
    statements, but that leads to possible errors: "oops, forgot to
    recreate one of them", or "typo caused one to fail".  OTOH, DISABLE
    INDEX and REENABLE INDEX are idiot-proof, and can be automated.<br>
    <br>
    <div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
      Angular momentum makes the world go 'round.</div>
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