A Query Error Is Reported Due to Predicate Pushdown

Symptom

When a predicate is pushed down in a plan, an error should not be reported according to the query execution sequence in the SQL standard. However, an error occurs during the execution.

openGauss=# select * from tba;
 a 
---
 -1
  2
(2 rows)

openGauss=# select * from tbb;
 b 
---
 -1
  1
(2 rows)

openGauss=# select * from tba join tbb on a > b where b > 0 and sqrt(a) > 1;
ERROR: cannot table square root of a negative number

Execute the SQL standard process.

1. Execute the FROM clause to ensure that all data meets the a > b condition.
2. Execute the WHERE clause with the b > 0 condition. If the result is true, a > 0 can be deduced and the execution continues. If the result is false, the subsequent conditions are short-circuited and will not be executed.
3. Execute the WHERE clause with the sqrt(a) > 1 condition.

However, an error is reported, indicating that the input parameter is a negative value.

Cause Analysis

openGauss=# explain (costs off) select * from tba join tbb on a > b where b > 0 and sqrt(a) > 1;
            QUERY PLAN            
----------------------------------
Nest loop
  Join Filter: (a > b)
  -> Seq Scan on public.tba
       Filter: (sqrt(a) > 1)
  -> Materialize
       -> Seq Scan on public.tbb
            Filter: (b > 0)
(7 rows)

According to the analysis plan, the original a > b, b > 0, and sqrt(a) > 1 conditions are split and pushed down to different operators. As a result, the conditions are not executed in sequence. In addition, the current equivalence class inference supports only equal sign (=) inference and cannot automatically supplement a > 0. As a result, an error is reported during the query.

Procedure

Predicate pushdown can greatly improve query performance, and this special short-circuit and derivation scenario is not considered in most database optimizers. Therefore, you are advised to modify the query statement and manually add a > 0 under related conditions.

openGauss=# select * from tba join tbb on a > b where b > 0 and a > 0 and sqrt(a) > 1;
 a | b 
---+---
 2 | 1 
(1 row)

openGauss=# explain (costs off) select * from tba join tbb on a > b where b > 0 and a > 0 and sqrt(a) > 1;
              QUERY PLAN              
--------------------------------------
Nest loop
  Join Filter: (a > b)
  -> Seq Scan on public.tba
       Filter: (a > 0 and sqrt(a) > 1)
  -> Materialize
       -> Seq Scan on public.tbb
            Filter: (b > 0)
(7 rows)