[Mulgara-general] iTQL

Andrae Muys andrae at netymon.com
Fri Jan 11 04:12:35 UTC 2008


On 04/01/2008, at 12:18 PM, Hero Modaress wrote:
> In the SQL we have distinct command, how we can use that command in  
> the iTQL ?
> I want write a qeury in the iTQL for return all list without any  
> repetitious.

iTQL doesn't need a distinct command as mulgara always removes  
duplicates by equality.

It is worth noting the distinction between removing duplicates by  
equality and removing duplicates by equivalence in that we don't  
eliminate any redundancies introduced by UNBOUND results.

As UNBOUND results can only be introduced via disjunction (and even  
then, only if the arguments are not union-compatible), you can ignore  
this disctiction 99.99% of the time.

So you will never see a result such as:

  X  |  Y
foo   bar
foo   baz  *
foo   baz  *
fog   biq

as the two marked rows are equal, however if you were to ask a query  
such as:

select $X $Y from <> where $X <p1> $Y or $X <p2> 'bar';

you could see a result such as:

  X  |    Y
foo   UNBOUND *
foo     bar   **
foo     baz   **
...     ...
fog     big

where, if we were pedantic and removing by equivalence, should be  
simplified to:

  X  |    Y
foo   UNBOUND
fog     big

There were plans to implement the fix required to provide the  
pedantic result, however the code is:

1) Subtle in its complexity and its interaction with the join code
2) Consequently a fair amount of effort
3) So far unrequested by people actually using disjunctions

So we haven't committed the time required to implement it.

If I remember correctly (and this is a sketchy memory from several  
years ago) the estimated complexity was an (Nlog N)^M  (for N rows,  
and M columns with suspected UNBOUND's) factor on top of the existing  
cost of any join - but please don't quote me on it ;).

Anyway most people seem happy with distinct by equality as a simple  
and cheap alternative - and hopefully it isn't a problem for you either.

Andrae

-- 
Andrae Muys
andrae at netymon.com
Senior RDF/SemanticWeb Consultant
Netymon Pty Ltd




-- 
Andrae Muys
andrae at netymon.com
Senior RDF/SemanticWeb Consultant
Netymon Pty Ltd





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