pgsql-bugs(at)postgresql(dot)org writes:
> Since PostgreSQL 7.1 (or 7.0, I don't remember), if you define a view, and then a rule with a condition over the view, the rule doesn't work when you try to do an operation from the type defined in the rule (it echoes an error message). But, if you also define an empty rule of the same type on the same view with no condition, the rule starts working.
This is not a bug, it's intentional.
Your suggestion of making the query rewrite limit a parameter seems like
a good one.
regards, tom lane