Will Oracle optimizer use multiple Hints in the same SELECT?

Question

I'm trying to optimize query performance and have had to resort to using optimizer hints. But I've never learned if the optimizer will use more than one hint at a time.

e.g.

SELECT /*+ INDEX(i dcf_vol_prospect_ids_idx)*/
       /*+ LEADING(i vol) */ 
       /*+ ALL_ROWS */ 
       i.id_number,
       ...
  FROM i_table i
  JOIN vol_table vol on vol.id_number = i.id_number
  JOIN to_a_bunch_of_other_tables...
 WHERE i.solicitor_id = '123'
   AND vol.solicitable_ind = 1;

The explain plan shows the same cost, but I know that's just an estimate.

Please assume that all table and index statistics have been calculated. FYI, the index dcf_vol_prospect_ids_idx is on the i.solicitor_id column.

Thanks,

Stew

Answer 1

Try specifying all the hints in a single comment block, as shown in this example from the wonderful Oracle documentation (http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14211/hintsref.htm).

16.2.1 Specifying a Full Set of Hints

When using hints, in some cases, you might need to specify a full set of hints in order to ensure the optimal execution plan. For example, if you have a very complex query, which consists of many table joins, and if you specify only the INDEX hint for a given table, then the optimizer needs to determine the remaining access paths to be used, as well as the corresponding join methods. Therefore, even though you gave the INDEX hint, the optimizer might not necessarily use that hint, because the optimizer might have determined that the requested index cannot be used due to the join methods and access paths selected by the optimizer.

In Example 16-1, the LEADING hint specifies the exact join order to be used; the join methods to be used on the different tables are also specified.

Example 16-1 Specifying a Full Set of Hints

SELECT /*+ LEADING(e2 e1) USE_NL(e1) INDEX(e1 emp_emp_id_pk)
           USE_MERGE(j) FULL(j) */
    e1.first_name, e1.last_name, j.job_id, sum(e2.salary) total_sal  
FROM employees e1, employees e2, job_history j
WHERE e1.employee_id = e2.manager_id
  AND e1.employee_id = j.employee_id
  AND e1.hire_date = j.start_date
GROUP BY e1.first_name, e1.last_name, j.job_id   ORDER BY total_sal;

Answer 2

In fact, the recommendation of Jonathan Lewis, Author of Cost-Based Oracle Fundamentals is that if the CBO fails at finding the correct plan, you need to take over the job of the CBO and "layer-in" the hints - an average of two hints per table in the query.

The reason is that one hint could lead to yet another bad and possibly even worse plan than the CBO would get unaided. If the CBO is wrong, you need to give it the whole plan, not just a nudge in the right direction.