BUG #4170: Rows estimation which are cast from TEXT is inaccurate.

The following bug has been logged online:

Bug reference: 4170
Logged by: Tashuhito Kasahara
Email address: kasahara(dot)tatsuhito(at)oss(dot)ntt(dot)co(dot)jp
PostgreSQL version: 8.3.1
Operating system: Linux
Description: Rows estimation which are cast from TEXT is inaccurate.
Details:

I noticed that rows estimation is not accurate when we cast some datetype to
TEXT.
See the following example. (TEXT -> TIMESTAMP)

============================================================================
====
test=# SELECT count(*) FROM test WHERE t < '2008-05-14 23:55:00';
count
-------
86099
(1 row)

test=# EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM test WHERE t < '2008-05-14 23:55:00';
QUERY PLAN
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Seq Scan on test (cost=0.00..1727.00 rows=85721 width=12)
Filter: (t < '2008-05-14 23:55:00'::timestamp without time zone)
(2 rows)

test=# EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM test WHERE t < '2008-05-14
23:55:00'::text::timestamp;
QUERY PLAN
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seq Scan on test (cost=0.00..2209.00 rows=32133 width=12) <- too little
number of the estimates
Filter: (t < ('2008-05-14 23:55:00'::text)::timestamp without time zone)
(2 rows)

test=# SELECT count(*) FROM test WHERE t < '2008-05-14 23:55:00';
count
-------
86099
(1 row)
============================================================================
====

We can avoid this problem by setting appropriate cast-function.

============================================================================
====
CREATE FUNCTION text2timestamp(text) RETURNS timestamp AS
$$
SELECT timestamp_in(textout($1), 0, 0);
$$
LANGUAGE sql STRICT STABLE;

CREATE CAST (text AS timestamp) WITH FUNCTION text2timestamp(text) AS
ASSIGNMENT;

test=# EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM test WHERE t < '2008-05-14
23:55:00'::text::timestamp;
QUERY PLAN
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seq Scan on test (cost=0.00..1968.00 rows=85721 width=12)
Filter: (t < timestamp_in('2008-05-14 23:55:00'::cstring, 0::oid, 0))
(2 rows)
============================================================================
====

I think it's a bug and will be troubled at plan optimization.

Best regards.