**  (4)  step = $value   -- constraint exists
**  (8)  output in descending order
*/
static int seriesBestIndex(
  sqlite3_vtab *tab,
  sqlite3_index_info *pIdxInfo
){
  int i;                 /* Loop over constraints */
  int idxNum = 0;        /* The query plan bitmask */
  int startIdx = -1;     /* Index of the start= constraint, or -1 if none */
  int stopIdx = -1;      /* Index of the stop= constraint, or -1 if none */
  int stepIdx = -1;      /* Index of the step= constraint, or -1 if none */
  int nArg = 0;          /* Number of arguments that seriesFilter() expects */

  const struct sqlite3_index_constraint *pConstraint;
  pConstraint = pIdxInfo->aConstraint;
  for(i=0; i<pIdxInfo->nConstraint; i++, pConstraint++){
    if( pConstraint->usable==0 ) continue;
    if( pConstraint->op!=SQLITE_INDEX_CONSTRAINT_EQ ) continue;
    switch( pConstraint->iColumn ){
      case SERIES_COLUMN_START:
        startIdx = i;
        idxNum |= 1;
        break;
      case SERIES_COLUMN_STOP:
        stopIdx = i;
        idxNum |= 2;
        break;
      case SERIES_COLUMN_STEP:
        stepIdx = i;
        idxNum |= 4;
        break;
    }
  }
  if( startIdx>=0 ){
    pIdxInfo->aConstraintUsage[startIdx].argvIndex = ++nArg;
    pIdxInfo->aConstraintUsage[startIdx].omit= !SQLITE_SERIES_CONSTRAINT_VERIFY;
  }
  if( stopIdx>=0 ){
    pIdxInfo->aConstraintUsage[stopIdx].argvIndex = ++nArg;
    pIdxInfo->aConstraintUsage[stopIdx].omit = !SQLITE_SERIES_CONSTRAINT_VERIFY;
  }
  if( stepIdx>=0 ){
    pIdxInfo->aConstraintUsage[stepIdx].argvIndex = ++nArg;
    pIdxInfo->aConstraintUsage[stepIdx].omit = !SQLITE_SERIES_CONSTRAINT_VERIFY;
  }
  if( (idxNum & 3)==3 ){
    /* Both start= and stop= boundaries are available.  This is the 
    ** the preferred case */
    pIdxInfo->estimatedCost = (double)(2 - ((idxNum&4)!=0));
    pIdxInfo->estimatedRows = 1000;
    if( pIdxInfo->nOrderBy==1 ){
................................................................................
      if( pIdxInfo->aOrderBy[0].desc ) idxNum |= 8;
      pIdxInfo->orderByConsumed = 1;
    }
  }else{
    /* If either boundary is missing, we have to generate a huge span
    ** of numbers.  Make this case very expensive so that the query
    ** planner will work hard to avoid it. */
    pIdxInfo->estimatedCost = (double)2147483647;
    pIdxInfo->estimatedRows = 2147483647;
  }
  pIdxInfo->idxNum = idxNum;
  return SQLITE_OK;
}

/*

**  (4)  step = $value   -- constraint exists
**  (8)  output in descending order
*/
static int seriesBestIndex(
  sqlite3_vtab *tab,
  sqlite3_index_info *pIdxInfo
){
  int i, j;              /* Loop over constraints */
  int idxNum = 0;        /* The query plan bitmask */
  int unusableMask = 0;  /* Mask of unusable constraints */
  int nArg = 0;          /* Number of arguments that seriesFilter() expects */
  int aIdx[3];           /* Constraints on start, stop, and step */
  const struct sqlite3_index_constraint *pConstraint;

  /* This implementation assumes that the start, stop, and step columns
  ** are the last three columns in the virtual table. */
  assert( SERIES_COLUMN_STOP == SERIES_COLUMN_START+1 );
  assert( SERIES_COLUMN_STEP == SERIES_COLUMN_START+2 );
  aIdx[0] = aIdx[1] = aIdx[2] = -1;
  pConstraint = pIdxInfo->aConstraint;
  for(i=0; i<pIdxInfo->nConstraint; i++, pConstraint++){
    int iCol;    /* 0 for start, 1 for stop, 2 for step */
    int iMask;   /* bitmask for those column */
    if( pConstraint->iColumn<SERIES_COLUMN_START ) continue;
    iCol = pConstraint->iColumn - SERIES_COLUMN_START;
    iMask = 1 << iCol;
    if( pConstraint->usable==0 ){
      unusableMask |=  iMask;
      continue;
    }else if( pConstraint->op==SQLITE_INDEX_CONSTRAINT_EQ ){
      idxNum |= iMask;
      aIdx[iCol] = i;
    }
  }
  for(i=0; i<3; i++){
    if( (j = aIdx[i])>=0 ){
      pIdxInfo->aConstraintUsage[j].argvIndex = ++nArg;
      pIdxInfo->aConstraintUsage[j].omit = !SQLITE_SERIES_CONSTRAINT_VERIFY;
    }
  }
  if( (unusableMask & ~idxNum)!=0 ){
    /* The start, stop, and step columns are inputs.  Therefore if there
    ** are unusable constraints on any of start, stop, or step then
    ** this plan is unusable */
    return SQLITE_CONSTRAINT;
  }
  if( (idxNum & 3)==3 ){
    /* Both start= and stop= boundaries are available.  This is the 
    ** the preferred case */
    pIdxInfo->estimatedCost = (double)(2 - ((idxNum&4)!=0));
    pIdxInfo->estimatedRows = 1000;
    if( pIdxInfo->nOrderBy==1 ){
................................................................................
      if( pIdxInfo->aOrderBy[0].desc ) idxNum |= 8;
      pIdxInfo->orderByConsumed = 1;
    }
  }else{
    /* If either boundary is missing, we have to generate a huge span
    ** of numbers.  Make this case very expensive so that the query
    ** planner will work hard to avoid it. */

    pIdxInfo->estimatedRows = 2147483647;
  }
  pIdxInfo->idxNum = idxNum;
  return SQLITE_OK;
}

/*

  rc = vtabBestIndex(pParse, pSrc->pTab, pIdxInfo);
  if( rc ){
    if( rc==SQLITE_CONSTRAINT ){
      /* If the xBestIndex method returns SQLITE_CONSTRAINT, that means
      ** that the particular combination of parameters provided is unusable.
      ** Make no entries in the loop table.
      */

      return SQLITE_OK;
    }
    return rc;
  }

  mxTerm = -1;
  assert( pNew->nLSlot>=nConstraint );

  rc = vtabBestIndex(pParse, pSrc->pTab, pIdxInfo);
  if( rc ){
    if( rc==SQLITE_CONSTRAINT ){
      /* If the xBestIndex method returns SQLITE_CONSTRAINT, that means
      ** that the particular combination of parameters provided is unusable.
      ** Make no entries in the loop table.
      */
      WHERETRACE(0xffff, ("  ^^^^--- non-viable plan rejected!\n"));
      return SQLITE_OK;
    }
    return rc;
  }

  mxTerm = -1;
  assert( pNew->nLSlot>=nConstraint );