Re: Additional Statistics Hooks

Mat Arye <mat(at)timescale(dot)com> writes:
> An example, of a case a protransform type system would not be able to
> optimize is mathematical operator expressions like bucketing integers by
> decile --- (integer / 10) * 10.

Uh, why not? An estimation function that is specific to integer divide
shouldn't have much trouble figuring out that x/10 has one-tenth as many
distinct values as x does. I'd certainly rather have that knowledge
associated directly with int4div, and the corresponding knowledge about
date_trunc associated with that function, and similar knowledge about
extension-provided operators provided by the extensions, than try to
maintain a hook function that embeds all such knowledge.

> I also think that the point with extended statistics is a good one and
> points to the need for more experimentation/experience which I think
> a C hook is better suited for. Putting in a hook will allow extension
> writers like us to experiment and figure out the kinds of transform on
> statistics that are useful while having
> a small footprint on the core.

If you're experimenting you might as well just change the source code.
A hook is only useful if you're trying to ship something for production,
and I doubt that factorizing things this way is a credible production
solution.

regards, tom lane