Re: Updating pg_attribute to change field's data type from integer to bigint on very large table

I wrote:
> No, that is an actual on-disk change (making the field physically
> wider), so it's going to cost ya.  There are some cases where the
> on-disk representation doesn't change and so a catalog update isn't
> needed, but int4->int8 isn't one of them.

Sheesh, hit send too quickly on that.  Of course I meant "and so a
catalog update is all that's needed".

                       regards, tom lane