Re: several questions about R-tree index

"TJ O'Donnell" <tjo@acm.org> writes:
> Shouldn't the ~ (contains) operator be included also?
> Isn't ~ the commutator of @ ?

Yeah, it looks like the documentation is in error:

regression=# select amopopr::regoperator,amopstrategy from pg_amop where amopclaid in
regression-# (select oid from pg_opclass where opcamid = 402);      amopopr       | amopstrategy 
---------------------+--------------<<(box,box)         |            1&<(box,box)         |            2&&(box,box)
   |            3&>(box,box)         |            4>>(box,box)         |            5~=(box,box)         |
6~(box,box)         |            7@(box,box)          |            8<<(polygon,polygon) |
1&<(polygon,polygon)|            2&&(polygon,polygon) |            3&>(polygon,polygon) |
4>>(polygon,polygon)|            5~=(polygon,polygon) |            6~(polygon,polygon)  |
7@(polygon,polygon) |            8
 
(16 rows)

Of course, the thing that leaps out here is that there are only two
built-in opclasses for rtree.  Not exactly confidence building.

> I am considering using R-tree's for other-than-geometric purposes.

I concur with Andrew's suggestion to consider GIST.  GIST has its own
issues, but at least there are people looking at it/using it/working on it.
R-tree doesn't seem to have any user community that really cares.
        regards, tom lane