> Why can't postgres compile some rough statistics on tables without
> running analyze?
Why can't you just run analyze? You don't have to empty the tables to do
so and you can alter the statistics on the fly. Heck you can even run
analyze while doing the inserts.
Perhaps the fine manual would be of assistance?
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.0/interactive/sql-analyze.html
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.0/interactive/sql-altertable.html
> I have already had to disable sequential scans, since the planner is
> almost _always_ wrong in deciding whether or not to use an index.
Sounds again like you are not setting up your statistics correctly or
running analyze as and when it should.
Sincerely,
Joshua D. Drake
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