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From: jian he <jian.universality@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Jun 2026 15:23:24 +0800
Message-ID: 
 <CACJufxHTK0Qk7AwdrHK=y8OtK--zEVY-Ossxx4UUgxaE2NCAXA@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Fix SET EXPRESSION for virtual columns with whole-row
 dependencies
To: Chao Li <li.evan.chao@gmail.com>
Cc: Postgres hackers <pgsql-hackers@lists.postgresql.org>,
	Peter Eisentraut <peter@eisentraut.org>
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On Tue, Jun 9, 2026 at 2:23=E2=80=AFPM Chao Li <li.evan.chao@gmail.com> wro=
te:
>
> Hi,
>
> While testing =E2=80=9C[f80bedd52] Allow ALTER COLUMN SET EXPRESSION on v=
irtual columns=E2=80=9D, I found that the feature missed handling whole-row=
 check constraints.
>
> Here is a repro:
> ```
> evantest=3D# create table t(
> evantest(#   a int,
> evantest(#   b int generated always as (a*2) virtual,
> evantest(#   constraint row_c check (t is not null)
> evantest(# );
> CREATE TABLE
> evantest=3D# insert into t(a) values(1);
> INSERT 0 1
> evantest=3D# alter table t alter b set expression as (nullif(a, 1));
> ALTER TABLE
> evantest=3D# select * from t;
>  a | b
> ---+---
>  1 |
> (1 row)
> ```
>
> The ALTER TABLE should fail, because it makes b become NULL, which breaks=
 the constraint row_c.
>

Hi.

In case you are wondering whole-row objects:
ALTER TABLE DROP COLUMN and ALTER COLUMN SET DATA TYPE are covered by
https://commitfest.postgresql.org/patch/5988 and
https://commitfest.postgresql.org/patch/6055.

Meanwhile, ALTER TABLE SET EXPRESSION is being handled over in
https://commitfest.postgresql.org/patch/6755