WHERE ... NOT NULL ... OR ... (SELECT...) - Mailing list pgsql-sql

I have a query, like this:

valipile=# explain select * from account_analytic_line where move_id in
(SELECT id FROM account_move_line);                                     QUERY PLAN

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hash Semi Join
(cost=60799.74..96694.82rows=329568 width=162)  Hash Cond: (account_analytic_line.move_id = account_move_line.id)  ->
SeqScan on account_analytic_line  (cost=0.00..9620.68
 
rows=329568 width=162)  ->  Hash  (cost=41292.66..41292.66 rows=1188966 width=4)        ->  Seq Scan on
account_move_line (cost=0.00..41292.66
 
rows=1188966 width=4)
(5 rows)

Which is all fine. However, as move_id in account_analytic_line is
NULLable I want to include that one into my query. But then:

valipile=# explain select * from account_analytic_line where move_id is
null or move_id in (SELECT id FROM account_move_line);                                      QUERY PLAN

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Seq Scan on
account_analytic_line (cost=0.00..9039221110.12
 
rows=164784 width=162)  Filter: ((move_id IS NULL) OR (SubPlan 1))  SubPlan 1    ->  Materialize  (cost=0.00..51882.49
rows=1188966width=4)          ->  Seq Scan on account_move_line  (cost=0.00..41292.66
 
rows=1188966 width=4)
(5 rows)

This, of course, takes forever.

(There are no indexes/constraints/whatever on the tables as I'm deleting
old data from the database)

Now, I did 'circumvent' the waiting with using UNION:

valipile=# explain select * from account_analytic_line where move_id in
(select id from account_move_line) union select * from
account_analytic_line where move_id is null;





---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Unique
(cost=193891.55..212017.84 rows=329569 width=162)  ->  Sort  (cost=193891.55..194715.47 rows=329569 width=162)
SortKey: account_analytic_line.id,
 
account_analytic_line.create_uid, account_analytic_line.create_date,
account_analytic_line.write_date, account_analytic_line.write_uid,
account_analytic_line.amount, account_analytic_line.user_id, account_analy        ->  Append  (cost=60799.74..109611.18
rows=329569width=162)              ->  Hash Semi Join  (cost=60799.74..96694.82 rows=329568
 
width=162)                    Hash Cond: (account_analytic_line.move_id =
account_move_line.id)                    ->  Seq Scan on account_analytic_line
(cost=0.00..9620.68 rows=329568 width=162)                    ->  Hash  (cost=41292.66..41292.66 rows=1188966
width=4)                          ->  Seq Scan on account_move_line
(cost=0.00..41292.66 rows=1188966 width=4)              ->  Seq Scan on account_analytic_line
account_analytic_line_1  (cost=0.00..9620.68 rows=1 width=162)                    Filter: (move_id IS NULL)
(11 rows)


but I'm curious why postgres chooses such poor query plan for the 'OR
column IS NULL' addition ?
Mario
-- 
Mario Splivalo
mario@splivalo.hr

"I can do it quick, I can do it cheap, I can do it well. Pick any two."