@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ typedef struct IndexAmRoutine
197197 implications. The requirements of <structfield>amcanunique</structfield>
198198 are discussed in <xref linkend="index-unique-checks"/>.
199199 The <structfield>amcanmulticol</structfield> flag asserts that the
200- access method supports multicolumn indexes, while
200+ access method supports multi-key-column indexes, while
201201 <structfield>amoptionalkey</structfield> asserts that it allows scans
202202 where no indexable restriction clause is given for the first index column.
203203 When <structfield>amcanmulticol</structfield> is false,
@@ -233,6 +233,19 @@ typedef struct IndexAmRoutine
233233 conditions.
234234 </para>
235235
236+ <para>
237+ The <structfield>amcaninclude</structfield> flag indicates whether the
238+ access method supports <quote>included</quote> columns, that is it can
239+ store (without processing) additional columns beyond the key column(s).
240+ The requirements of the preceding paragraph apply only to the key
241+ columns. In particular, the combination
242+ of <structfield>amcanmulticol</structfield>=<literal>false</literal>
243+ and <structfield>amcaninclude</structfield>=<literal>true</literal> is
244+ sensible: it means that there can only be one key column, but there can
245+ also be included column(s). Also, included columns must be allowed to be
246+ null, independently of <structfield>amoptionalkey</structfield>.
247+ </para>
248+
236249 </sect1>
237250
238251 <sect1 id="index-functions">
@@ -383,10 +396,13 @@ amcanreturn (Relation indexRelation, int attno);
383396</programlisting>
384397 Check whether the index can support <link
385398 linkend="indexes-index-only-scans"><firstterm>index-only scans</firstterm></link> on
386- the given column, by returning the indexed column values for an index entry
387- in the form of an <structname>IndexTuple</structname>. The attribute number
388- is 1-based, i.e., the first column's attno is 1. Returns true if supported,
389- else false. If the access method does not support index-only scans at all,
399+ the given column, by returning the column's original indexed value.
400+ The attribute number is 1-based, i.e., the first column's attno is 1.
401+ Returns true if supported, else false.
402+ This function should always return true for included columns
403+ (if those are supported), since there's little point in an included
404+ column that can't be retrieved.
405+ If the access method does not support index-only scans at all,
390406 the <structfield>amcanreturn</structfield> field in its <structname>IndexAmRoutine</structname>
391407 struct can be set to NULL.
392408 </para>
@@ -476,7 +492,7 @@ amproperty (Oid index_oid, int attno,
476492 core code does not know how to do that and will return NULL. It may
477493 also be advantageous to implement <literal>AMPROP_RETURNABLE</literal> testing,
478494 if that can be done more cheaply than by opening the index and calling
479- <structfield >amcanreturn</structfield >, which is the core code's default behavior.
495+ <function >amcanreturn</function >, which is the core code's default behavior.
480496 The default behavior should be satisfactory for all other standard
481497 properties.
482498 </para>
@@ -621,10 +637,13 @@ amgettuple (IndexScanDesc scan,
621637
622638 <para>
623639 If the index supports <link linkend="indexes-index-only-scans">index-only
624- scans</link> (i.e., <function>amcanreturn</function> returns true for it),
640+ scans</link> (i.e., <function>amcanreturn</function> returns true for any
641+ of its columns),
625642 then on success the AM must also check <literal>scan->xs_want_itup</literal>,
626643 and if that is true it must return the originally indexed data for the
627- index entry. The data can be returned in the form of an
644+ index entry. Columns for which <function>amcanreturn</function> returns
645+ false can be returned as nulls.
646+ The data can be returned in the form of an
628647 <structname>IndexTuple</structname> pointer stored at <literal>scan->xs_itup</literal>,
629648 with tuple descriptor <literal>scan->xs_itupdesc</literal>; or in the form of
630649 a <structname>HeapTuple</structname> pointer stored at <literal>scan->xs_hitup</literal>,
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