RE: Optimization: change in access path to one table changes join strategy to another table...

John

> When I query the regular table with some other (indexed) column,
> forcing the optimizer to do a table lookup for the later join key,
> the join strategy to the inline view changes (to the worse - nested
> loop acces with index range scans becomes hash join with full table
> scan).

1. My guess is that predicate pushing of join predicates isn't working. To confirm this you should generate the execution plans with DBMS_XPLAN (or with AUTOTRACE if you use a 10.2 SQL*Plus).
2. According to the execution plans there is no change in the join method. Therefore the questions: Did you copied/pasted the right execution plans?
3. It would be interesting to know if the estimated cardinalities, in both situations, are correct.

HTH
Chris

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