Currently adding a column to a table with a non-NULL default results in
a rewrite of the table. For large tables this can be both expensive and
disruptive. This patch removes the need for the rewrite as long as the
default value is not volatile. The default expression is evaluated at
the time of the ALTER TABLE and the result stored in a new column
(attmissingval) in pg_attribute, and a new column (atthasmissing) is set
to true. Any existing row when fetched will be supplied with the
attmissingval. New rows will have the supplied value or the default and
so will never need the attmissingval.
Pole Position trotz Plattfuß: Gustaf Håkansson wurde 1951 nicht zum 1000-Meilen-Radrennen durch Schweden zugelassen. Mit einer List nahm der 66-Jährige trotzdem teil – und ließ der Konkurrenz keine Chance.