Quest® SQL Optimizer for Oracle

Version 7.3

Release Notes

February 4, 2008


Contents

Welcome to Quest SQL Optimizer

New in this Release

Resolved Issues and Enhancements

Known Issues

System Requirements

Global Operations  

Getting Started

For More Information


Welcome to Quest SQL Optimizer for Oracle

Quest® SQL Optimizer for Oracle maximizes SQL performance by automating the manual, time-intensive and uncertain process of ensuring that SQL statements are performing as fast as possible. Quest SQL Optimizer automatically analyzes, rewrites and evaluates SQL statements within multiple database objects, files, or SQL collections from the SGA. The process of optimizing problematic SQL from multiple source code locations is completely automated. Whether you are a developer, DBA or performance tuner, you can just let Quest SQL Optimizer analyze and optimize in batch all problem SQL from multiple sources and then Quest SQL Optimizer provides you with the replacement code with optimized SQL statements. Optimizing tens or hundreds of SQL statements, database objects, and source codes is as easy as just submitting the SQL code to Quest SQL Optimizer for Oracle and letting it do the work for you. Quest SQL Optimizer also provides you a complete index optimization and plan change analysis solution, from index recommendations for multiple SQL statements to simulated index impact analysis, through comparison of multiple SQL execution plans.

 


New in Release 7.3

Updates to Quest SQL Optimizer 7.3

New Features in Quest SQL Optimizer 7.3

 


Resolved Issues and Enhancements

The following is a list of issues addressed and enhancements implemented in this release of Quest SQL Optimizer.

Component

Resolved Issue

Change Request

Connectivity You can now launch Quest SQL Optimizer from Toad when using a computer which has the number settings for the decimal and thousands separator set differently from the US standard setting of a period for the decimal setting and the comma for the thousands separator.

SC579124

SC585128

CR40701

You can now connect to Oracle when using the Vista operating system with the User Account Control turned ON. CR40678
Installation When you are using the Vista operating system, you no longer receive a program compatibility message when installing Quest SQL Optimizer. CR40677
SQL Optimizer Version Selector When you are using the Vista operating system and you run the SQL Optimizer Version Selector, the Microsoft Register Server is no longer shut down. CR40676
Execution Plan Table An option was added which enables you to specify the schema and table that is used for retrieving the execution plan from the database.

SC541157

SC519584

SC568120

CR40587

CR40550

Batch Optimizer The scanning process no longer hangs when you scan a database object whose schema name contains the left and right angle brackets. CR40505
Tuning Lab and Global Indexing The message "User does not exist" no longer appears when you change the schema to a schema whose name contains the left and right angle brackets. CR40505
Tuning Lab When the optimization quotas are reached, warning messages are displayed in the Alert window to let you know which quota was reached. CR40472
When executing SQL statements using the "Run on Server" option, the execution will now stop as expected when you abort the execution. CR40321
General A SQL statement which contains a CONNECT_BY_ROOT clause is now support.

SC576032

CR40868

If you have the Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Local Security Policy | Local Policies | Security Options | System Cryptography: Use FIPS… option selected, you will get the error 'An error has occurred in the script on this page' when the SQL Optimizer for Oracle community page should be displayed. CR43803

Known Issues

The following is a list of issues known to exist at the time of the Quest SQL Optimizer release.

Component

Known Issue

Change Request

Installation

 

If you have installed Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Beta, you will receive the error message: "The installation of component Microsoft Net Framework 2.0 has failed." during the installation of Quest SQL Optimizer for Oracle.

Workaround: Uninstall .NET Framework 2.0 Beta and install .NET Framework 2.0.

 

The Client/Server installation of the Quest SQL Optimizer installs the server files, but the client installation process does not copy any files into the specified client folder or create any shortcuts on the desktop.  
General

Quest SQL Optimizer for Oracle has been redesigned and reengineered. This new design affects the way the program is launched from other Quest products. Therefore, you cannot have both a previous version, formerly called Quest SQL Tuning for Oracle (6.1.2 or earlier) and Quest SQL Optimizer for Oracle (7.0 or later) “active” at the same time. You can have a previous version and the current version installed on the same PC, but you must set one or the other as the active program. The active program is the one that will be used when other Quest products launch the Quest SQL optimization program and send text to it.

Note: This issue also affects Quest SQL Tuning for SQL Server version 6.2.1 or earlier. So, if you have both Quest SQL Optimizer for Oracle and Quest SQL Tuning for SQL Server you must also use the SQL Optimizer Version Selector to set one or the other as the "active" program.

 

In version 7.2 and later, we have combined the data directories locations onto one option page. Consequently, this changed the location where we stored the directory information. Therefore, if in version 7.0 you changed the location of the data directory, you will need to change this location in the Options again in version 7.3. Or, you will need to move your data files to the directory specified in the Options.

 
The popup warning message that appears after an error sometimes appears under the Quest SQL Optimizer window instead of on top of it. CR40612

Startup

When the Windows user is setup as a "Limited" user (a non Administrator user), Quest SQL Optimizer will hang when started from a shortcut including Start | Programs | Quest Software | Quest SQL Optimizer for Oracle | Quest SQL Optimizer for Oracle.

Workaround: Set the user as "Computer administrator" in the Windows user setup. Or, you can launch it by double-clicking the Quest SQL Optimizer for Oracle.exe file.

CR40486

Batch Optimzer If you try to generate an Optimized Script for a job created from SGA Inspector file or a Performance Analysis repository, you will get an error that says the file cannot be found. It should give you a message that Optimized Script cannot be generated for these items or the function should be disable so cannot select it for these items. CR45724

SQL Scanner and Batch Optimizer

When scanning a Performance Analysis repository, it will only extract the SQL statements whose resolution_type = 3 in the repository.  

When scanning database objects and you select the "Include Dependents" option, it will only retrieve the first level of dependents whereas it should include the all dependents.

CR40625

SQL Scanner The file format for the SQL Scanner data files has changes from the format used in previous versions of Quest SQL Tuning for Oracle 6.2.1 or earlier. Therefore, Scanner data files from previous versions of SQL Tuning cannot be used in Quest SQL Optimizer for Oracle version 7.0 or later.  
SGA Inspector

The file format for the SGA Inspector data files has changes from the format used in previous versions of Quest SQL Tuning for Oracle 6.2.1 or earlier. Therefore, Inspector data files from previous versions of SQL Tuning cannot be used in Quest SQL Optimizer for Oracle version 7.0 or later.

 

Tuning Lab The Outline Manager window appears when you get a "Parsing failure" message in the Tuning Lab after trying to optimize an incomplete SQL statement. This only happens if you had previously opened the Outline Manager module and clicked Cancel on the "Create an New Outlines Session" window.

CR40556

This issue only applies to some very long SQL statements ("long" being the number of characters in the text of the statement). When you execute the SQL statement using the Tuning Lab | Execution |Execution Method | Run on server option, "Execution error" is displayed in the "Results Comparison" column in the Execution Statistics layout.

Workaround: Use the Tuning Lab | Execution |Execution Method | Run on client option when you execute the SQL statement and its alternatives.

CR45668
Options The Preferences settings from previous versions of SQL Tuning 6.1.2 or earlier will not be transferred to the Options settings for SQL Optimizer. You must customize all the Options settings once again.  
Support Bundle

When the Windows user is setup as a "Limited" user (a non Administrator user), if you open the Support Bundle tab (select Help | Support Bundle) and then perform an action in one of the modules, the Support Bundle log is not generated.

Workaround: Set the user as "Computer administrator" in the Windows user setup.

CR40488

Printing

When you print a report in the Tuning Lab or Global Indexing, the report will go to the printer that is currently selected in Windows. There is no way to change this in Quest SQL Optimizer.

Workaround: Change the printer in Windows before printing in Quest SQL Optimizer.

CR40403

National Language Support

 

 

Note: These problem only arise if you type characters in the national language. If you are using the national Windows environment and type English text, these problems do not arise.

 

Using the French language settings, "select '€' from table" produces an error during the optimization process.

CR40273

Using the French language settings in the Index Expert and Global Indexing, the table name and column names are not correctly displayed (spelled) in the SQL Text of the index sets.

CR40274

CR40489

The Euro character € is not correctly displayed on the screen in the Outline Manager.

CR40213

Many of the multi-language characters are not correctly displayed on the screen so that they look like garbage characters.

CR40298

CR40494

Using French, German, simplified Chinese, or Korean settings in the Best Practices function, many of the characters are not correctly displayed on the screen so that they look like garbage characters.

CR40442

CR40478

Using the Korean language settings, the parser in various modules fails to parse a SQL statement with Korean characters.

CR40148

When running Quest SQL Optimizer in the simplified Chinese environment, many of the text lines of the options in the Options window are too long and either cover or are covered by the selection box.

CR40479

 

When running Quest SQL Optimizer in the simplified Korean environment, the highlighting of the difference between SQL statements is not correct in the Compare Scenario layout in the Tuning Lab.

CR40491

Integration with Quest Central Explorer If you install Quest Central 6.1 and then install Quest SQL Optimizer version 7.0 or later, then when you launch either Quest Central Explorer (formally Quest Database Management Solutions or the Launch Pad) or Quest Central, you will get the error message QAIT Boulder error.

Workaround: Contact Quest Support to obtain the most current release of Quest Central Explorer.

 
Integration with Toad When Toad for Oracle 9.1 is installed on your PC and you use the "Browse Data" or Retrieve Results" feature or click the "Load" button in Best Practices, it will launch Toad and open the SQL Editor, but it will not insert the appropriate script into the SQL Editor window.  

 


System Requirements

Before installing Quest SQL Optimizer for Oracle, ensure your system meets the following minimum hardware and software requirements:

Platform Intel x86. (233 MHz or higher)
Memory

512 MB of RAM minimum; 768 MB of RAM recommended

Note: The memory required may vary based on the following:

  • Applications that are running on your system
  • Size and complexity of the database.
  • Amount of database activity.
  • Number of concurrent users accessing the database.
Hard Disk Space 90 MB of disk space for installation
Operating System Microsoft® Windows® 2000, 2003, XP Professional, Vista 32-bit
Additional Software Microsoft’s .NET Framework 2.0.
Browser Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or later
PDF Viewer Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 5.0 or later (for viewing the Installation Guide)
Database Client

SQL*NET

NET8

10g Client

Oracle 10g instance client

Oracle 10g Easy Connect

Database Server Oracle® 8.1.7, 9i, 10g, 11g

 


Global Operations

This section contains information about installing and operating this product in non-English configurations, such as those needed by customers outside of North America. This section does not replace the materials about supported platforms and configurations found elsewhere in the product documentation.
This release supports any single-byte character set. Support for double-byte or multi-byte character sets is limited. The majority of the features work under double-byte or multi-byte character sets, but there is some functionality documented under the known problems section that does not offer full double-byte or multi-byte character sets support. This release is targeted to support operations in the following regions: North America, Western Europe and Latin America. This release has been tested and offers limited support for Korean, Japanese and Chinese.

 


Getting Started

Contents of the Release Package

The Quest SQL Optimizer for Oracle release package contains the following products:

  1. Quest SQL Optimizer for Oracle
  2. Adobe® Acrobat Reader 7.0
  3. Product Documentation, including:

Installation Instructions

Refer to the Installation Guide for installation instructions.

 


For More Information

Get the latest product information, find helpful resources, and join a discussion with the Quest SQL Optimizer team and other community members. Join the SQL Optimizer community at http://sqloptimizeroracle.inside.quest.com/index.jspa.

Contacting Quest Software:

Email info@quest.com
Mail

Quest Software, Inc.

World Headquarters

5 Polaris Way

Aliso Viejo, CA 92656

USA

Web

http://www.quest.com

Refer to our web site for regional and international office information.

Contacting Quest Support:

Quest Support is available to customers who have a trial version of a Quest product or who have purchased a commercial version and have a valid maintenance contract.
Quest Support provides around the clock coverage with SupportLink, our web self-service. Visit SupportLink at http://support.quest.com.

From SupportLink, you can do the following:

View the Global Support Guide for a detailed explanation of support programs, online services, contact information, and policy and procedures.
The guide is available at: http://support.quest.com/pdfs/Global Support Guide.pdf.

 


© 2008  Quest Software, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

This document contains proprietary information protected by copyright. The software described in this document is furnished under a software license or nondisclosure agreement. This software may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the applicable agreement. No part of this guide may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for any purpose other than the purchaser’s personal use without the written permission of Quest Software, Inc.

 

If you have any questions regarding your potential use of this material, contact:

Quest Software World Headquarters
LEGAL Dept
5 Polaris Way
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656

 

www.quest.com

Email: legal@quest.com

Refer to our web site for regional and international office information.

Trademarks

Quest, Quest Software, the Quest Software logo, Benchmark Factory, LECCOTech, Quest Central, Spotlight, SQL Navigator, SQLab, Toad, T.O.A.D., and Toad World are trademarks and registered trademarks of Quest Software, Inc. in the United States of America and other countries. Other trademarks and registered trademarks used in this guide are property of their respective owners.

Third Party Contributions

This product includes RSA encryption logic from http://www.crypto-central.com/, TDCP_Rijndael from http://www.scramdisk.clara.net/, and DPAPI from http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms995355.aspx.

Disclaimer

The information in this document is provided in connection with Quest products. No license, express or implied, by estoppel or otherwise, to any intellectual property right is granted by this document or in connection with the sale of Quest products. EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN QUEST'S TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS SPECIFIED IN THE LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR THIS PRODUCT, QUEST ASSUMES NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER AND DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY WARRANTY RELATING TO ITS PRODUCTS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL QUEST BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION OR LOSS OF INFORMATION) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS DOCUMENT, EVEN IF QUEST HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Quest makes no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this document and reserves the right to make changes to specifications and product descriptions at any time without notice. Quest does not make any commitment to update the information contained in this document.