FULL JOIN is only supported with merge-joinable join conditions

Started by hx.liover 16 years ago4 messagesgeneral
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#1hx.li
fly2nn@126.com

Hi guys,

I have a question about outer join. For example as follow (pg 8.4.1):
------------------------------
create table t_1(a int);
create table t_3(a int);
insert into t_1 values(1);
insert into t_1 values(2);
insert into t_3 values(1);
insert into t_3 values(3);

postgres=# select version();
version
-------------------------------------------------------------
PostgreSQL 8.4.1, compiled by Visual C++ build 1400, 32-bit
(1 row)
postgres=# select * from t_1 full outer join t_3 on t_1.a=1;
ERROR: FULL JOIN is only supported with merge-joinable join conditions
--------------------------

My question is: why on clause restrict "t_1.a=1"?

I test it in Oracle, it support to such as "t_1.a=1":
------------------------

SQL> SELECT * FROM TAB1;
A B C
---------- ---------- ----------
2
3
SQL> SELECT * FROM TAB2;
A
----------
1
2
SQL> select * from tab1 full outer join tab2 on tab1.a=2;
A B C A
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
2 1
2 2
3
SQL> select * from tab1 left outer join tab2 on tab1.a=2;
A B C A
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
2 1
2 2
3
SQL> select * from tab1 right outer join tab2 on tab1.a=2;
A B C A
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
2 1
2 2

SQL> select * from tab1 right outer join tab2 on 1=1;
A B C A
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
2 1
3 1
2 2
3 2
SQL> select * from tab1 right outer join tab2 on tab2.a=2;
A B C A
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
1
2 2
3 2

#2Tom Lane
tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us
In reply to: hx.li (#1)
Re: FULL JOIN is only supported with merge-joinable join conditions

"hx.li" <fly2nn@126.com> writes:

ERROR: FULL JOIN is only supported with merge-joinable join conditions
My question is: why on clause restrict "t_1.a=1"?

It's an implementation restriction. If the clauses aren't mergejoinable
there's no very practical way to keep track of which inner-side rows
have had a match.

I test it in Oracle, it support to such as "t_1.a=1":

I'd be interested to know how whatever they're doing scales to very
large joins.

regards, tom lane

#3hx.li
fly2nn@126.com
In reply to: hx.li (#1)
Re: FULL JOIN is only supported with merge-joinable join conditions

It's an implementation restriction. If the clauses aren't mergejoinable
there's no very practical way to keep track of which inner-side rows
have had a match.

If we could consider it is equivalent transformation as follow?

select * from t_1 full outer join t_3 on t_1.a=1;
and
select * from t_1 full outer join t_3 on true where t_1.a=1;

If we could transform RestrictInfo into the where-clause, maybe it right.

TEST=# select * from t_1 full outer join t_3 on true where t_1.a=1;
A | A
---+---
1 | 1
1 | 3
(2 rows)

#4Tom Lane
tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us
In reply to: hx.li (#3)
Re: FULL JOIN is only supported with merge-joinable join conditions

"hx.li" <fly2nn@126.com> writes:

If we could consider it is equivalent transformation as follow?

select * from t_1 full outer join t_3 on t_1.a=1;
and
select * from t_1 full outer join t_3 on true where t_1.a=1;

Those are not equivalent.

regards, tom lane