Thanks. Cheers, Norman. >> "Ghassan Salem" <salem.ghassan@xxxxxxxxx> 09/13/06 09:05am >>> >> What I mean by "can decide" is that it will compute the costs with and >> without materializing, and choose the lowest cost. So the hint is redundant, >> but like all hints, they are there to help you in case CBO computes a wrong >> cost for whatever reason. rgds Norman Dunbar. Contract Oracle DBA. Rivers House, Leeds. Internal : 7 28 2051 External : 0113 231 2051 Information in this message may be confidential and may be legally privileged. If you have received this message by mistake, please notify the sender immediately, delete it and do not copy it to anyone else. We have checked this email and its attachments for viruses. But you should still check any attachment before opening it. We may have to make this message and any reply to it public if asked to under the Freedom of Information Act, Data Protection Act or for litigation. Email messages and attachments sent to or from any Environment Agency address may also be accessed by someone other than the sender or recipient, for business purposes. If we have sent you information and you wish to use it please read our terms and conditions which you can get by calling us on 08708 506 506. Find out more about the Environment Agency at www.environment-agency.gov.uk -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l