>>>>I replaced my LEFT OUTER JOIN with INNER JOIN, and the query took only 8 seconds this time.
>>>>
>>>>LEFT JOIN can always be replaced with INNER JOIN and a UNION. Did both INNER JOINS table1->table2 and table2->table1 work the same?
>>>
>>>
>>>I'm not sure, but that comment doesn't ring true to me. Can you provide an example test to show me what you mean?
>>
>>http://www.sql-server-performance.com/transact_sql.asp
>>

>>select table1.*, table2.* from table1 inner join table2 on ...
>>union ;
>>select table1.*, ;
cast("" as c(50)) as field2, ... from table1 && rest of records from table1 what don't have table2 matching records

>
>Why I see VFP code here

>cast("" as c(50))
>must be
>cast('' as char(50)) or
>cast("" as varchar(50)) or simply
>''

>
>:-)))
>and BTW you need LEFT JOIN for the second select just to add where clause so you could filter records from table1 which doesn't exist in table2.

I was thinking you don't need a LEFT JOIN using UNION since it eliminates duplicates anyway.

Thanks for the correction with the syntax, for me VFP syntax is easier to remember, since I work mostly with VFP native tables :)