Skip checking of scan keys required for directional scan in B-tree
Currently, B-tree code matches every scan key to every item on the page.
Imagine the ordered B-tree scan for the query like this.
SELECT * FROM tbl WHERE col > 'a' AND col < 'b' ORDER BY col;
The (col > 'a') scan key will be always matched once we find the location to
start the scan. The (col < 'b') scan key will match every item on the page
as long as it matches the last item on the page.
This patch implements prechecking of the scan keys required for directional
scan on beginning of page scan. If precheck is successful we can skip this
scan keys check for the items on the page. That could lead to significant
acceleration especially if the comparison operator is expensive.
Idea from patch by Konstantin Knizhnik.
Discussion: https://postgr.es/m/
079c3f8e-3371-abe2-e93c-
fc8a0ae3f571%40garret.ru
Reviewed-by: Peter Geoghegan, Pavel Borisov