Re: Backend Question

Tom Lane wrote:
> 
> Chris Bitmead <chris@bitmead.com> writes:
> > Can anyone tell me what the concept of a "group" is in
> > backend/libpq/portal.c? There are functions like PQntuplesGroup,
> > PQfnumberGroup, PQfsizeGroup, PQftypeGroup etc etc.
> 
> Once upon a time it probably supported something like the ability to
> merge tuples of different types into a SELECT result.  It does not
> now: a little scanning shows there is no way to get no_groups above 1
> in the current logic.
> 
> You should realize, however, that all that backend-PQexec code is dead
> code and has been for a long time.  It's unlikely that it works at all
> any more, considering all the changes that have gone on while it sits
> untested on the sidelines.  I proposed ripping it out a few months ago,
> and no one objected ... but I haven't got round to it yet.

Why is it dead code? Why is it no longer necessary?