Message-ID: <4C3CF478.1060602@squeakycode.net>
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:19:20 -0500
From: Andy Colson <andy@squeakycode.net>
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To: Elias Ghanem <e.ghanem@acteos.com>, pgsql-performance@postgresql.org
Subject: Re: Queries with conditions using bitand operator
References: <4C3C5279.5090108@acteos.com>
In-Reply-To: <4C3C5279.5090108@acteos.com>
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On 07/13/2010 06:48 AM, Elias Ghanem wrote:
> Hi,
> I have table "ARTICLE" containing a String a field "STATUS" that represents a number in binary format (for ex: 10011101).
> My application issues queries with where conditions that uses BITAND operator on this field (for ex: select * from article where status & 4 = 4).
> Thus i'm facing performance problemes with these select queries: the queries are too slow.
> Since i'm using the BITAND operator in my conditions, creating an index on the status filed is useless
> and since the second operator variable (status & 4 = 4; status & 8 = 8; status & 16 = 16...) a functional index is also usless (because a functional index require the use of a function that accept only table column as input parameter: constants are not accepted).
> So is there a way to enhance the performance of these queries?
> Thanks,
> Elias
>

How many flags are there?  If its not too many you could make a separate column for each... but then that would be lots of indexes too...

One other thought I had was to make it a text column, turn the flags into words (space separated) and use full text indexes.

I played around with int's and string's but I couldnt find a way using the & operator.

-Andy