I'm new to postgres and was wondering how to use EXPLAIN ANALYZE .... Can I use the output from ANALYZE EXPLAIN to estimate or predict the actual time it would take for a given query to return? I ask because I'm writing a typical web app that allows the user to build and submit a query to my DB. Since I don't know how "simple" or "complex" the user- generated queries will be I thought it might be possible to use the ANALYZE EXPLAIN output to make a "guestimation" about the expected return time of the query. I'd like to use this in my web-app to determine whether to run the query in real-time (user waits for results) or queue up the query (and notify the user once the query is finished). E.g.: if (the Total runtime" reported by explain analyze is > n ms) { tell the user that his request was submitted for processing, and notify the user once resuilts are available } else { run the query and wait for the results in real time. } Thanks, Alan -- Sent via pgsql-performance mailing list (pgsql-performance@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx) To make changes to your subscription: http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-performance