If I recall correctly, iit was a bug w/ PL/SQL somewhere around the 8.1.x timeframe. I still add a space after the '+', to this day. Probably always will..... -Mark ________________________________________ From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Tony Adolph [tony.adolph.dba@xxxxxxxxx] Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 3:27 PM To: oracle-l Cc: gary.northfield@xxxxxxxxxxxx; richard.griffin@xxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Hints and a space Hi All, We're having a debate at work this morning about a space in a hint,... not clear so far, read on... I remember from a few years back that if a hint was specified without a space after the plus sign it was ignored, so /*+full(t) */ didn't work, but /*+ full(t) */ was good. Was this the case a few releases back as it doesn't seem to be now,.. was it ever the case. I feel sure it was and have always used the space since - and for the last few years when reviewing code have always rejected code with hints without this space. Cheers Tony -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l