From be429e5b7e1ae7a84b564d04e6f126c62176c5cd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Alberto Piai Date: Sun, 29 Mar 2026 21:45:44 +0200 Subject: [PATCH v2 1/2] Support changing a column into a stored generated column This adds an ALTER TABLE subcommand to turn a regular column into a stored generated column: ... ALTER COLUMN c ADD GENERATED ALWAYS as (expr) STORED The syntax is chosen to be similar to ... ALTER COLUMN ... ADD GENERATED ... AS IDENTITY with the difference that in this case, since we're dealing with a generated column, only ALWAYS is supported. Additionally, STORED must always be specified. This new operation fits together with SET EXPRESSION and DROP EXPRESSION. Phase 2 happens in the same pass as the former, in order to run the cleanup code in ATPostAlterTypeCleanup, without which for example we would not re-check constraints when rewriting the table. Partitioning/inheritance is supported in the same way as DROP EXPRESSION: it is allowed to change the whole inheritace tree to/from a generated column at once; it is forbidden to change the parent table ONLY and it is forbidden to change a partition directly. See 8bf6ec3ba3a44448817af47a080587f3b71bee08 and the associated discussion. There is one limitation: currently DROP EXPRESSION does not allow to change an inheritance tree of depth > 2. This seems like an oversight, but in order to not feature-creep this commit, this is postponed for later; it should then be fixed for both DROP EXPRESSION and this new command. This is mostly useful as a first step to be able to add a stored generated column without rewriting the table under an exclusive lock. For ease of review, the operation as of this commit always rewrites the contents of the column using the new generated expression. --- src/backend/commands/tablecmds.c | 187 +++++++++++++++++- src/backend/parser/gram.y | 31 +++ src/include/nodes/parsenodes.h | 1 + .../test_ddl_deparse/test_ddl_deparse.c | 3 + src/test/regress/expected/alter_table.out | 126 ++++++++++++ src/test/regress/sql/alter_table.sql | 76 +++++++ 6 files changed, 423 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/src/backend/commands/tablecmds.c b/src/backend/commands/tablecmds.c index c69c12dc014..66622bf4837 100644 --- a/src/backend/commands/tablecmds.c +++ b/src/backend/commands/tablecmds.c @@ -760,6 +760,14 @@ static void ATExecMergePartitions(List **wqueue, AlteredTableInfo *tab, Relation static void ATExecSplitPartition(List **wqueue, AlteredTableInfo *tab, Relation rel, PartitionCmd *cmd, AlterTableUtilityContext *context); +static void ATPrepAddGeneratedAsExprStored(Relation rel, + AlterTableCmd *cmd, + bool recurse, + bool recursing, LOCKMODE lockmode); +static ObjectAddress ATExecAddGeneratedAsExprStored(AlteredTableInfo *tab, + Relation rel, + const char *colName, + Constraint *def); /* ---------------------------------------------------------------- * DefineRelation @@ -4743,6 +4751,7 @@ AlterTableGetLockLevel(List *cmds) case AT_AddIdentity: case AT_DropIdentity: case AT_SetIdentity: + case AT_AddGeneratedAsExprStored: case AT_SetExpression: case AT_DropExpression: case AT_SetCompression: @@ -5067,6 +5076,13 @@ ATPrepCmd(List **wqueue, Relation rel, AlterTableCmd *cmd, ATSimpleRecursion(wqueue, rel, cmd, recurse, lockmode, context); pass = AT_PASS_SET_EXPRESSION; break; + case AT_AddGeneratedAsExprStored: + ATSimplePermissions(cmd->subtype, rel, + ATT_TABLE | ATT_PARTITIONED_TABLE | ATT_FOREIGN_TABLE); + ATSimpleRecursion(wqueue, rel, cmd, recurse, lockmode, context); + ATPrepAddGeneratedAsExprStored(rel, cmd, recurse, recursing, lockmode); + pass = AT_PASS_SET_EXPRESSION; + break; case AT_DropExpression: /* ALTER COLUMN DROP EXPRESSION */ ATSimplePermissions(cmd->subtype, rel, ATT_TABLE | ATT_PARTITIONED_TABLE | ATT_FOREIGN_TABLE); @@ -5461,6 +5477,12 @@ ATExecCmd(List **wqueue, AlteredTableInfo *tab, case AT_SetExpression: address = ATExecSetExpression(tab, rel, cmd->name, cmd->def, lockmode); break; + case AT_AddGeneratedAsExprStored: + Assert(IsA(cmd->def, Constraint)); + address = ATExecAddGeneratedAsExprStored(tab, rel, + cmd->name, + (Constraint *) cmd->def); + break; case AT_DropExpression: address = ATExecDropExpression(rel, cmd->name, cmd->missing_ok, lockmode); break; @@ -6667,6 +6689,8 @@ alter_table_type_to_string(AlterTableType cmdtype) return "ALTER COLUMN ... SET NOT NULL"; case AT_SetExpression: return "ALTER COLUMN ... SET EXPRESSION"; + case AT_AddGeneratedAsExprStored: + return "ALTER COLUMN ... ADD GENERATED ALWAYS AS (...) STORED"; case AT_DropExpression: return "ALTER COLUMN ... DROP EXPRESSION"; case AT_SetStatistics: @@ -8823,6 +8847,165 @@ ATExecSetExpression(AlteredTableInfo *tab, Relation rel, const char *colName, return address; } +/* + * Preparation for + * + * ALTER TABLE ALTER COLUMN ADD GENERATED ALWAYS AS expr STORED + * + * Checks whether recursion is allowed, following the same logic as ATPrepDropExpression. + */ +static void +ATPrepAddGeneratedAsExprStored(Relation rel, + AlterTableCmd *cmd, + bool recurse, + bool recursing, LOCKMODE lockmode +) +{ + /* + * Reject ONLY if there are child tables. See ATPrepDropExpression. + */ + if (!recurse && + find_inheritance_children(RelationGetRelid(rel), lockmode)) + ereport(ERROR, + (errcode(ERRCODE_FEATURE_NOT_SUPPORTED), + errmsg("ALTER TABLE / ADD GENERATED ALWAYS AS (expr) STORED must be applied to child tables too"))); + + /* + * Cannot change only inherited columns to be stored generated columns. + */ + if (!recursing) + { + HeapTuple tuple; + Form_pg_attribute attTup; + + tuple = SearchSysCacheCopyAttName(RelationGetRelid(rel), cmd->name); + if (!HeapTupleIsValid(tuple)) + ereport(ERROR, + (errcode(ERRCODE_UNDEFINED_COLUMN), + errmsg("column \"%s\" of relation \"%s\" does not exist", + cmd->name, RelationGetRelationName(rel)))); + + attTup = (Form_pg_attribute) GETSTRUCT(tuple); + + if (attTup->attinhcount > 0) + ereport(ERROR, + (errcode(ERRCODE_INVALID_TABLE_DEFINITION), + errmsg("cannot change inherited column to be a stored generated column"))); + } +} + +/* + * ALTER TABLE ALTER COLUMN ADD GENERATED ALWAYS AS expr STORED + */ +static ObjectAddress +ATExecAddGeneratedAsExprStored(AlteredTableInfo *tab, + Relation rel, + const char *colName, + Constraint *def) +{ + HeapTuple tuple; + Form_pg_attribute attTup; + AttrNumber attnum; + ObjectAddress address; + Expr *defval; + NewColumnValue *newval; + RawColumnDefault *rawEnt; + Relation pg_attribute; + + Assert(def->raw_expr != NULL); + Assert(def->cooked_expr == NULL); + Assert(def->generated_when == ATTRIBUTE_IDENTITY_ALWAYS); + Assert(def->generated_kind == ATTRIBUTE_GENERATED_STORED); + + tuple = SearchSysCacheAttName(RelationGetRelid(rel), colName); + if (!HeapTupleIsValid(tuple)) + ereport(ERROR, + (errcode(ERRCODE_UNDEFINED_COLUMN), + errmsg("column \"%s\" of relation \"%s\" does not exist", + colName, RelationGetRelationName(rel)))); + + attTup = (Form_pg_attribute) GETSTRUCT(tuple); + + attnum = attTup->attnum; + if (attnum <= 0) + ereport(ERROR, + (errcode(ERRCODE_FEATURE_NOT_SUPPORTED), + errmsg("cannot alter system column \"%s\"", + colName))); + + if (attTup->attgenerated) + ereport(ERROR, + (errcode(ERRCODE_OBJECT_NOT_IN_PREREQUISITE_STATE), + errmsg("column \"%s\" of relation \"%s\" is already a generated column", + colName, RelationGetRelationName(rel)))); + + /* Mark as generated stored in pg_attribute */ + pg_attribute = table_open(AttributeRelationId, RowExclusiveLock); + attTup->attgenerated = ATTRIBUTE_GENERATED_STORED; + CatalogTupleUpdate(pg_attribute, &tuple->t_self, tuple); + table_close(pg_attribute, RowExclusiveLock); + + /* Make above changes visible */ + CommandCounterIncrement(); + + ReleaseSysCache(tuple); + + /* + * Find everything that depends on the column (constraints, indexes, etc), + * and record enough information to let us recreate the objects. + */ + RememberAllDependentForRebuilding(tab, AT_AddGeneratedAsExprStored, + rel, attnum, colName); + + /* + * Remove previous default value, if any, and store the new generator + * expression. + */ + RemoveAttrDefault(RelationGetRelid(rel), attnum, DROP_RESTRICT, + false, false); + + rawEnt = palloc_object(RawColumnDefault); + rawEnt->attnum = attnum; + rawEnt->raw_default = def->raw_expr; + rawEnt->generated = def->generated_kind; + AddRelationNewConstraints(rel, list_make1(rawEnt), NIL, + false, true, false, NULL); + + /* Make above changes visible */ + CommandCounterIncrement(); + + /* + * Clear all the missing values if we're rewriting the table, since this + * renders them pointless. + */ + RelationClearMissing(rel); + + /* Make above changes visible */ + CommandCounterIncrement(); + + /* Drop any pg_statistic entry for the column */ + RemoveStatistics(RelationGetRelid(rel), attnum); + + /* Build a concrete expression for the new default (generated) value */ + defval = (Expr *) build_column_default(rel, attnum); + defval = expression_planner(defval); + + /* Schedule a rewrite */ + newval = palloc0_object(NewColumnValue); + newval->attnum = attnum; + newval->expr = defval; + newval->is_generated = true; + tab->newvals = lappend(tab->newvals, newval); + tab->rewrite |= AT_REWRITE_DEFAULT_VAL; + + InvokeObjectPostAlterHook(RelationRelationId, + RelationGetRelid(rel), attnum); + + ObjectAddressSubSet(address, RelationRelationId, + RelationGetRelid(rel), attnum); + return address; +} + /* * ALTER TABLE ALTER COLUMN DROP EXPRESSION */ @@ -15290,7 +15473,9 @@ RememberAllDependentForRebuilding(AlteredTableInfo *tab, AlterTableType subtype, SysScanDesc scan; HeapTuple depTup; - Assert(subtype == AT_AlterColumnType || subtype == AT_SetExpression); + Assert(subtype == AT_AlterColumnType + || subtype == AT_SetExpression + || subtype == AT_AddGeneratedAsExprStored); depRel = table_open(DependRelationId, RowExclusiveLock); diff --git a/src/backend/parser/gram.y b/src/backend/parser/gram.y index 0fea726cdd5..315ee7d94e2 100644 --- a/src/backend/parser/gram.y +++ b/src/backend/parser/gram.y @@ -2717,6 +2717,37 @@ alter_table_cmd: n->name = $3; n->def = (Node *) c; + $$ = (Node *) n; + } + /* ALTER TABLE ALTER [COLUMN] ADD GENERATED ALWAYS AS ( ) STORED */ + | ALTER opt_column ColId ADD_P GENERATED generated_when AS '(' a_expr ')' STORED + { + AlterTableCmd *n = makeNode(AlterTableCmd); + Constraint *c = makeNode(Constraint); + + c->contype = CONSTR_GENERATED; + c->generated_when = $6; + c->raw_expr = $9; + c->cooked_expr = NULL; + c->generated_kind = ATTRIBUTE_GENERATED_STORED; + c->location = @5; + + /* + * Like in the case of ColConstraintElem, we cannot handle + * this in the grammar because IDENTITY allows both ALWAYS + * and BY DEFAULT, while generated columns only allow + * ALWAYS. This would lead to shift/reduce conflicts. + */ + if (c->generated_when != ATTRIBUTE_IDENTITY_ALWAYS) + ereport(ERROR, + (errcode(ERRCODE_SYNTAX_ERROR), + errmsg("for a generated column, GENERATED ALWAYS must be specified"), + parser_errposition(@6))); + + n->subtype = AT_AddGeneratedAsExprStored; + n->name = $3; + n->def = (Node *) c; + $$ = (Node *) n; } /* ALTER TABLE ALTER [COLUMN] SET /RESET */ diff --git a/src/include/nodes/parsenodes.h b/src/include/nodes/parsenodes.h index df431220ac5..74958ef0dfa 100644 --- a/src/include/nodes/parsenodes.h +++ b/src/include/nodes/parsenodes.h @@ -2506,6 +2506,7 @@ typedef enum AlterTableType AT_CookedColumnDefault, /* add a pre-cooked column default */ AT_DropNotNull, /* alter column drop not null */ AT_SetNotNull, /* alter column set not null */ + AT_AddGeneratedAsExprStored, /* add generated always as (...) stored */ AT_SetExpression, /* alter column set expression */ AT_DropExpression, /* alter column drop expression */ AT_SetStatistics, /* alter column set statistics */ diff --git a/src/test/modules/test_ddl_deparse/test_ddl_deparse.c b/src/test/modules/test_ddl_deparse/test_ddl_deparse.c index 64a1dfa9f79..3132ceac61f 100644 --- a/src/test/modules/test_ddl_deparse/test_ddl_deparse.c +++ b/src/test/modules/test_ddl_deparse/test_ddl_deparse.c @@ -129,6 +129,9 @@ get_altertable_subcmdinfo(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS) case AT_SetNotNull: strtype = "SET NOT NULL"; break; + case AT_AddGeneratedAsExprStored: + strtype = "ADD GENERATED ALWAYS AS (...) STORED"; + break; case AT_SetExpression: strtype = "SET EXPRESSION"; break; diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/alter_table.out b/src/test/regress/expected/alter_table.out index ccd79dfecc0..2567d918ec3 100644 --- a/src/test/regress/expected/alter_table.out +++ b/src/test/regress/expected/alter_table.out @@ -4863,3 +4863,129 @@ drop publication pub1; drop schema alter1 cascade; drop schema alter2 cascade; NOTICE: drop cascades to table alter2.t1 +-- Tests for ALTER COLUMN ... ADD GENERATED ALWAYS as ( expr ) STORED +-- turning a regular column into a stored generated column +create schema testgen; +create table testgen.t1 (a int, b int not null); +insert into testgen.t1 (a, b) + select x, x from generate_series(1, 10) x; +alter table testgen.t1 alter column b + add generated always as (a * 2) stored; +\d+ testgen.t1 + Table "testgen.t1" + Column | Type | Collation | Nullable | Default | Storage | Stats target | Description +--------+---------+-----------+----------+------------------------------------+---------+--------------+------------- + a | integer | | | | plain | | + b | integer | | not null | generated always as (a * 2) stored | plain | | +Not-null constraints: + "t1_b_not_null" NOT NULL "b" + +select a, b, a * 2 as expected, b = (a * 2) as correct + from testgen.t1 order by a; + a | b | expected | correct +----+----+----------+--------- + 1 | 2 | 2 | t + 2 | 4 | 4 | t + 3 | 6 | 6 | t + 4 | 8 | 8 | t + 5 | 10 | 10 | t + 6 | 12 | 12 | t + 7 | 14 | 14 | t + 8 | 16 | 16 | t + 9 | 18 | 18 | t + 10 | 20 | 20 | t +(10 rows) + +insert into testgen.t1 (a, b) values (10, 20); +ERROR: cannot insert a non-DEFAULT value into column "b" +DETAIL: Column "b" is a generated column. +insert into testgen.t1 (a, b) values (10, 21); +ERROR: cannot insert a non-DEFAULT value into column "b" +DETAIL: Column "b" is a generated column. +drop table testgen.t1; +-- turning a regular column into a stored generated column +-- fails when another constraint conflicts with the new expression +create table testgen.t2 (a int, b int not null); +insert into testgen.t2 (a, b) select x, x * 2 from generate_series(0, 5) x; +alter table testgen.t2 add constraint chk_gen_clause check (b = a * 2); +select pg_relation_filenode('testgen.t2') as t2_filenode_before \gset +alter table testgen.t2 alter column b add generated always as (a * 3) stored; +ERROR: check constraint "chk_gen_clause" of relation "t2" is violated by some row +select pg_relation_filenode('testgen.t2') as t2_filenode_after \gset +select :t2_filenode_before = :t2_filenode_after as did_not_rewrite; + did_not_rewrite +----------------- + t +(1 row) + +\d+ testgen.t2 + Table "testgen.t2" + Column | Type | Collation | Nullable | Default | Storage | Stats target | Description +--------+---------+-----------+----------+---------+---------+--------------+------------- + a | integer | | | | plain | | + b | integer | | not null | | plain | | +Check constraints: + "chk_gen_clause" CHECK (b = (a * 2)) +Not-null constraints: + "t2_b_not_null" NOT NULL "b" + +drop table testgen.t2; +-- rewrite an indexed column +create table testgen.t3 (a int, b int); +create index idx_b on testgen.t3 (b); +insert into testgen.t3 (a, b) select x, x from generate_series(1, 10) x; +select pg_relation_filenode('testgen.idx_b') as idx_filenode_before \gset +alter table testgen.t3 alter column b add generated always as (a * 2) stored; +select pg_relation_filenode('testgen.idx_b') as idx_filenode_after \gset +select :idx_filenode_before != :idx_filenode_after as did_rewrite_idx; + did_rewrite_idx +----------------- + t +(1 row) + +-- tests for invalid invocations +alter table doesnotexist alter column foo + add generated always as (bar * 2) stored; +ERROR: relation "doesnotexist" does not exist +create table testgen.t1 (a int); +alter table testgen.t1 alter column doesnotexist + add generated always as (bar * 2) stored; +ERROR: column "doesnotexist" of relation "t1" does not exist +alter table testgen.t1 add column b int; +alter table testgen.t1 alter column b + add generated always as (doesnotexist * 2) stored; +ERROR: column "doesnotexist" does not exist +-- invalid: only supports ALWAYS +alter table testgen.t1 alter column b + add generated by default as (a * 2) stored; +ERROR: for a generated column, GENERATED ALWAYS must be specified +LINE 2: add generated by default as (a * 2) stored; + ^ +-- invalid: only supports STORED +alter table testgen.t1 alter column b add generated always as (a * 2); +ERROR: syntax error at or near ";" +LINE 1: ...e testgen.t1 alter column b add generated always as (a * 2); + ^ +alter table testgen.t1 alter column b add generated always as (a * 2) virtual; +ERROR: syntax error at or near "virtual" +LINE 1: ...n.t1 alter column b add generated always as (a * 2) virtual; + ^ +-- invalid: b is already a generated column +create table testgen.t2 (a int, b int generated always as (a * 2) stored); +alter table testgen.t2 alter column b add generated always as (a * 2) stored; +ERROR: column "b" of relation "t2" is already a generated column +drop table testgen.t2; +create table testgen.t3 (a int, b int); +-- invalid: expr must be immutable +alter table testgen.t3 alter column b + add generated always as (a + random()) stored; +ERROR: generation expression is not immutable +-- invalid: expr cannot use subselects +alter table testgen.t3 alter column b + add generated always as (a + (select 1)) stored; +ERROR: cannot use subquery in column generation expression +drop table testgen.t3; +drop schema testgen cascade; +NOTICE: drop cascades to 4 other objects +DETAIL: drop cascades to table testgen.t3 +drop cascades to table testgen.t1 diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/alter_table.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/alter_table.sql index f5f13bbd3e7..76187083289 100644 --- a/src/test/regress/sql/alter_table.sql +++ b/src/test/regress/sql/alter_table.sql @@ -3159,3 +3159,79 @@ alter table alter1.t1 set schema alter2; drop publication pub1; drop schema alter1 cascade; drop schema alter2 cascade; + +-- Tests for ALTER COLUMN ... ADD GENERATED ALWAYS as ( expr ) STORED +-- turning a regular column into a stored generated column +create schema testgen; + +create table testgen.t1 (a int, b int not null); +insert into testgen.t1 (a, b) + select x, x from generate_series(1, 10) x; +alter table testgen.t1 alter column b + add generated always as (a * 2) stored; +\d+ testgen.t1 +select a, b, a * 2 as expected, b = (a * 2) as correct + from testgen.t1 order by a; +insert into testgen.t1 (a, b) values (10, 20); +insert into testgen.t1 (a, b) values (10, 21); +drop table testgen.t1; + +-- turning a regular column into a stored generated column +-- fails when another constraint conflicts with the new expression +create table testgen.t2 (a int, b int not null); +insert into testgen.t2 (a, b) select x, x * 2 from generate_series(0, 5) x; +alter table testgen.t2 add constraint chk_gen_clause check (b = a * 2); +select pg_relation_filenode('testgen.t2') as t2_filenode_before \gset +alter table testgen.t2 alter column b add generated always as (a * 3) stored; +select pg_relation_filenode('testgen.t2') as t2_filenode_after \gset +select :t2_filenode_before = :t2_filenode_after as did_not_rewrite; +\d+ testgen.t2 +drop table testgen.t2; + +-- rewrite an indexed column +create table testgen.t3 (a int, b int); +create index idx_b on testgen.t3 (b); +insert into testgen.t3 (a, b) select x, x from generate_series(1, 10) x; +select pg_relation_filenode('testgen.idx_b') as idx_filenode_before \gset +alter table testgen.t3 alter column b add generated always as (a * 2) stored; +select pg_relation_filenode('testgen.idx_b') as idx_filenode_after \gset +select :idx_filenode_before != :idx_filenode_after as did_rewrite_idx; +drop table testgen.t3; + +-- tests for invalid invocations +alter table doesnotexist alter column foo + add generated always as (bar * 2) stored; + +create table testgen.t1 (a int); + +alter table testgen.t1 alter column doesnotexist + add generated always as (bar * 2) stored; + +alter table testgen.t1 add column b int; + +alter table testgen.t1 alter column b + add generated always as (doesnotexist * 2) stored; + +-- invalid: only supports ALWAYS +alter table testgen.t1 alter column b + add generated by default as (a * 2) stored; + +-- invalid: only supports STORED +alter table testgen.t1 alter column b add generated always as (a * 2); +alter table testgen.t1 alter column b add generated always as (a * 2) virtual; + +-- invalid: b is already a generated column +create table testgen.t2 (a int, b int generated always as (a * 2) stored); +alter table testgen.t2 alter column b add generated always as (a * 2) stored; +drop table testgen.t2; + +create table testgen.t3 (a int, b int); +-- invalid: expr must be immutable +alter table testgen.t3 alter column b + add generated always as (a + random()) stored; +-- invalid: expr cannot use subselects +alter table testgen.t3 alter column b + add generated always as (a + (select 1)) stored; +drop table testgen.t3; + +drop schema testgen cascade; base-commit: 01d58d7e3ff3f7482ff478cb4a49c48aad276138 -- 2.47.0